Tunisians Demonstrate in Capital in Support of Saied

Tunisians demonstrated Sunday in the country’s capital, Tunis, in support of President Kais Saied and his moves to consolidate power, which critics have called a coup. The demonstrators, put at hundreds, who gathered in response to a call by a pro-Saied alliance, held banners reading “We are all Kais Saied” and demanded the prosecution of “corrupt” politicians.

Saied in early May announced the launch of a “national dialogue” to reunite the country and reestablish its democracy; however, he excluded the opposition Ennahdha party.

Saied in July of last year dismissed his government and seized a number of powers by granting himself executive authority in what critics have called a coup. In September 2021, he announced that he would rule by decree. A month later, he appointed a new prime minister, and then approved a new cabinet of political neophytes, coming from academia or who were civil servants, which he dissolved over a month ago. Saied wants to amend the 2014 constitution, which he says he will then submit to a popular referendum in July, ahead of the December elections.

Tunisia became a democracy in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring revolutions. Its democratic president and parliamentary form of government has experienced some difficulties. Saied was elected president in 2019.