Ennahda: Cost of ending Tunisia crisis rising every day

The deputy leader of the Ennahda movement and former Prime Minister Ali Larayedh yesterday called on Tunisian President Kais Saied to expedite the suspension of the exceptional measures in Tunisia after freezing the activity of parliament, dismissing the prime minister, and cancelling the immunity of all deputies.

Larayedh urged the president to appoint a head of government as soon as possible, lift the freeze of parliamentary activities, and involve state institutions in the decision making process; thus to return to the status of full legitimacy.

He stressed the importance of allowing the resumption of the work of state institutions in harmony and mutual coordination, or to start preparing for early legitimate elections.

Adding that Tunisia is going through a very dangerous period, as the legislative and governmental institutions have been completely frozen, and the presidency has assumed the three powers. The country now stands at a crossroads, he explained, and the cost of getting out of this crisis is rising each day.

READ: Tunisia’s president faces looming economic crisis

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.

This comes after violent protests broke out in several Tunisian cities criticising the government’s handling of the economy and the coronavirus. Demonstrators had called for parliament to be dissolved.

The majority of the country’s political parties slammed the move as a “coup against the constitution” and the achievements of the 2011 revolution.

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