Marzouki: Protests are a message from Tunisians

Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki said protests being held in the country are a message that citizens want parliament to remain in session and that they stand against measures taken by President Kais Saied.

Yesterday, hundreds of Tunisians participated in a protest in front of the Municipal Theatre at Habib Bourguiba Street in the centre of the capital to commemorate Martyrs’ Day, and to demand the “return of the constitutional course” in the country.

Commenting on the demonstration, Marzouki said: “Bravo! To the citizens, who sent on this day a strong message to whom it may concern.”

“What is required now is the collaboration of the force of legitimacy represented by a parliament that must remain in session, and the power of the street [by organising] demonstration after demonstration in all cities and villages of Tunisia,” Marzouki added.

Marzouki stressed that “there is no goal other than overthrowing the coup perpetrator [in reference to Saied] and prosecuting him as soon as possible.”

READ: Tunisia: EU support conditional on returning to democracy 

Tunisia has been suffering a severe political crisis since 25 July when Saied imposed exceptional measures including suspending parliament, issuing legislation by presidential decrees and dissolving the Supreme Judicial Council. He went on to dissolve parliament at the end of March.

Tunisian forces consider these measures as a “coup against the constitution”, while other forces see them as a “correction of the course of the 2011 revolution“, which toppled the former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Saied says that his measures are ” within the framework of the constitution to protect the state from an imminent danger.”

Kais Saied, Tunisia president dissolves parliament ‘to preserve the state’ – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]