Tunisia will not have a parliament for months, official says

Tunisian President Kais Saied will not allow parliament to return to work after the 30 day period of its suspension has passed, he will issue new directives to delay its return, the Secretary General of the People’s Movement, Zuhair Maghzaoui, announced yesterday.

On 25 July, Saied cited Article 80 of the constitution to dismiss Prime Minister Hicham Mechichi, freeze the work of parliament for 30 days, lift the immunity of ministers, and appoint himself as head of the executive authority until the formation of a new government.

The People’s Movement is the only parliamentary bloc that has declared its support for Saied’s measures, while the other blocks described it as a “coup”.

“It is extremely unlikely that the parliament will return in its same form,” Maghzaoui told Mosaïque FM, adding that Saied was planning to carry out a “referendum on the system.”

Maghzaoui pointed out that the president would “end with the reformation of a parliament.” He stressed on the importance “not to prolong this exceptional period,” noting that the president must “form a new government as soon as possible.”

The Tunisian official said that the next step would be “early elections.” “As a people’s movement, our relationship with President Saied was not built on interests, but rather the movement is preparing itself for the next stage as a party in the electoral process.”

Is Tunisia slipping into a dangerous pitfall?- Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

READ: Old interview by Kais Saied confirms his intention to enact a coup