Tunisian politician accuses President’s monopoly of power and opposition’s inability to develop

On Monday, the member of the suspended Tunisian parliament, Safi Said, accused President Kais Saied of monopoly of power, and considered that the opposition is unable to develop.

Since 25 July, 2021, Tunisia has been suffering from a severe political crisis that has worsened the economic situation. At that time, Saied imposed exceptional measures, including: suspending the Parliament, issuing legislation with presidential decrees and dissolving the Supreme Judicial Council.

Safi, who is a columnist as well, said: “President Saied talks about monopoly at a time when he politically monopolises sovereign decisions, courts, parliament, security, the central bank, airports and border crossings.”

Tunisia’s president Kais Saied is bleeding the country – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]

“The way of handling by the President of the Republic with the crisis witnessed by the country is ambiguous, secretive and extemporaneous. It is a matter of just issuing decrees with absence of reforms on the ground,” Safi continued.

Regarding Saied’s dissolution of the Supreme Judicial Council and appointing of a new one, Safi considered that “the judicial system requires comprehensive reforms and the establishing of a judicial centre conforms with the high population of the capital (more than 3 million), before thinking of purifying the judiciary and administering justice.”

Safi considered that “the method of reforming the judiciary adopted by the President is just a form of propaganda (…) amid a crisis that affects the sectors of education, health, nutrition and infrastructure.”

“What happens in Tunisia under the name of reform and fighting corruption is nothing more than fireworks, after which the people will wake up amid a state of collapse,” Safi added.

He elaborated, saying: “Corruption should not be a general nature (an accusation for everyone), but rather its causes must be known and the corrupt persons must be identified, not holding accountable all people suffering from poverty and the scourge of previous policies and promises.”

“Those who surround President Saied delude him with their praise, that he is supported by the people. While, in fact, more than 90 per cent of the people oppose him, and even the ministers in his current government do not understand his speeches that he seems [to be] admired with,” Safi said.

READ: No safety for anyone who criticises Kais Saied

Most of the political forces in Tunisia reject Saied’s exceptional measures and consider them as a “coup against the Constitution”. However, there are others who support them, who consider the measures as a “correction of the course of the 2011 revolution”, amidst political, economic and health crises.

Safi considered that Saied’s strong point is that “the opposition is unable to be organised or to progress, develop and enter into alliances. Therefore, this will enable Saied to be strong and remain strong.”

Saied, who began a five-year presidential term in 2019, said that his exceptional measures were issued “according to the Constitution to protect the country from an imminent danger”, stressing the need of not violating of freedoms and rights.