Erdogan calls dissolution of Tunisian parliament ‘blow to people’s will’

The dissolution of Tunisia’s parliament is a “blow to the will of the Tunisian people,” the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned yesterday.

Erdogan told reporters that he was hoping that the recent developments in Tunisia would not “harm the ongoing transition” which he said was aimed at “establishing democratic legitimacy” in the North African country. “We attach importance to implementing the announced roadmap for the elections,” the Turkish leader stressed.

Last week, Tunisian President Kais Saied said that he was dissolving the suspended parliament “to protect the state and the people of Tunisia from an unprecedented failed coup attempt.”

His announcement came after 124 of 217 members of parliament attended an online meeting that was called by the former speaker, Rached Ghannouchi, despite the institution’s suspension by Saied last July.

Ghannouchi’s Ennahda Movement has since affirmed that the meeting was entirely legitimate under chapter 80 of the Tunisian Constitution. “This stipulates that the House of the People’s Representatives [parliament] may remain in permanent session, and may not be dissolved,” it pointed out.

Tunisia: Ennahda says dissolution of parliament is violation of constitution