Tunisia’s Ennahda: ‘Vote boycott for Constitution referendum evidence it is rejected, null’

The Tunisian Ennahda Movement has announced that the boycott of 75 per cent of those registered on the electoral roll for the referendum on the new Constitution: “Is evidence that the constitution is popularly rejected and completely null.”

The movement added in a statement: “Constitutions are the first social contract and the law of laws, and are only passed with the participation of no less than 50 per cent.”

The statement continued: “President Kais Saied utilised all the state capabilities, especially the financial and administrative ones, and depended on the public media, especially the first TV channel, to exclusively promotes his constitutional project. The referendum failed, and therefore the draft Constitution became null, and the 2014 constitution remained in effect despite it being revoked. While its revocation always lacks legitimacy and legality.”

The movement affirmed in its statement that it: “Will continue the struggle against the coup and its policies that lead the country to destruction. We will work to coordinate with all forces ready to defend the republic and the gains of the revolution and those who support the return to the people through free, fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections, in which the legitimacy of the Tunisian regime and its institutions is renewed, and through which the country is able to confront its deep crisis.”

READ: Tunisia opposition accuses Electoral Commission of electoral fraud

The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) announced on Tuesday the approval of the new draft Constitution after it won voters’ confidence in the referendum by a rate of 94.60 per cent.

The head of ISIE, Farouk Bouasker, confirmed that the draft Constitution: “Won the confidence of 94.60 per cent of the votes out of 2,630,944 voters (30.5 per cent of the registered voters) who participated in voting out of 9,278,541 voters.”

Tunisian President Kais Saied stressed: “The referendum that the country witnessed is an expression of the will of the majority of the Tunisian people. The referendum will be an important phase.”

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