Tunisia: UN calls for comprehensive dialogue to resolve issues

The UN called on Tunisian political parties yesterday to start an inclusive, comprehensive dialogue to resolve the country’s issues, Anadolu has reported. This, said a UN spokesman, would be in line with democratic values.

“The United Nations continues its commitment to support democratic institutions in Tunisia, and to provide support to these institutions in their response to the coronavirus pandemic,” added Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York.

This intervention came a day after Tunisian President Kais Saied announced the abolition of the body responsible for monitoring the constitution in Tunisia. He added that he will be issuing legislation by presidential decrees, and assuming executive authority with the assistance of “a government” with an appointed head. No details of the latter have been provided since Saied announced his “emergency measures” on 25 July, which included the suspension of parliament. Tunisian political parties and individuals have described this as a “coup against the constitution”.

The majority of parties have rejected the president’s measures, and view them as a prelude to the return of tyranny and dictatorship. They are regarded as a betrayal of the 2010/11 popular revolution that toppled the regime of the late president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Other parties, however, support the measures as a “course correction” in light of the political, economic and health crises, notably the Covid-19 pandemic.

READ: Tunisia’s Ghannouchi calls for peaceful struggle against ‘absolute autocracy’