Tunisia’s President Decrees Referendum on New Constitution

Tunisian President Kais Saied issued a decree ordering a referendum on July 25 to approve a new constitution. The decree was reported on Wednesday by the country’s official gazette. Earlier this month, Saied announced the formation of a so-called high committee to draft a constitution for the county,

According to the gazette announcement, Reuters reported, the referendum will ask one question: “Do you agree (to) the new constitution?”  The country’s main political parties say they will boycott Saied’s unilateral restructuring of Tunisia’s political system.

Saied last month dissolved the country’s parliament and then seized control of the country’s election commission. In July of last year, the president 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 earlier this month. Saied wants to amend the 2014 constitution, likely overturning democratic principles introduced after the 2011 revolution 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 have experienced some difficulties. Saied was elected president in 2019.