Ghannouchi: Opposition will not take part in Saied’s referendum

Head of Tunisia’s Ennahda Party, Rachid Ghannouchi, said that the opposition will not take part in President Kais Saied’s planned referendum, Anadolu reported yesterday.

Ghannouchi, who was speaker of parliament befor Saied dissolved the government in July, said his movement’s position on the referendum “is part of a national position front which is currently being formed.”

Speaking to TRT Arabic, Ghannouchi said: “Saied’s referendum is part of a complete plan to seize all authorities. This is against the essence of democracy and the constitution.”

“The president does not believe in democracy and constitution, and he insists on imposing an autocratic regime,” he added

Ghannouchi criticised Saied’s dissolution of the Elections Commission and forming a new one. “This is part of his dissolution of the state’s institutions, starting with the High Judicial Council and reaching the Independent Elections Commission.”

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“We have called and we are still calling for a comprehensive national dialogue that does not exclude anyone. But President Saied rejected this. Even, when he accepted this, he accepted only those who supported him.”

“We’ve returned to an autocratic regime where all authorities are run by only one person. The revolution happened against this.”

Saied has held nearly total power since 25 July when he sacked the prime minister, suspended parliament and assumed executive authority citing a national emergency.

He appointed a prime minister on 29 September and a government has since been formed. In December, Saied announced that a referendum will be held on 25 July to consider ‘constitutional reforms’ and elections would follow in December 2022.