The head of the Tunisian Parliament, of the Islamist Ennahdha party, believes that President Saïed has exceeded his constitutional rights.
Rached Ghannouchi (Tunisian parliament leader) rejected Thursday’s President Kais Said’s decision not to dissolve the assembly and stated that it would continue its operations. On Wednesday, President Saied declared that Parliament would be disbanded. This comes eight months after it was suspended in order to allow the assembly to assume its full powers in July 2021.
“We consider that Parliament remains active”Rached Ghannouchi stated this in an interview for AFP. “Constitutionally, the president does not have the right to dissolve it”.
“This decision is null and void, and unconstitutional. It is part the continuity of decisions since July 25, which we rejected and deemed a coup de’etat.added the head of Parliament, also leader of the Islamist-inspired party Ennahdha, the main parliamentary force and pet peeve of President Saïed.
After suspending Parliament and dismissing the government in July, Kaïs Saïed dissolved the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM) in February, a measure described as a new authoritarian drift by his detractors and which raised concerns for the independence of the justice.
The Tunisians shunned an online popular consultation that he launched to collect ideas.
Tunisia, which is in political deadlock, is also struggling with a socio-economic crisis. It is now talking with the International Monetary Fund about a new loan.