After President Saied took over the federal government, Tunisians are questioning what’s subsequent

One supporter of Kais Saied lifts a placard that reads in Arabic, long live Tunisia, dissolve parliament, while another lifts another placard that reads in Arabic that it is a coup if you want to dissolve parliament during one Demonstration in front of the building of the Tunisian Parliament in Bardo, in the capital Tunis, Tunisia, on July 26, 2021.

Chedly Ben Ibrahim | NurPhoto | NurPhoto | Getty Images

Tunisian army personnel surrounded the national parliament building in Tunis as demonstrators confronted one another, some cheered President Kais Saied, who had just ousted his government and took control of all spheres of power, and others denounced his actions as a coup.

The scenes on Monday showed the greatest challenge to Tunisian democracy since it emerged in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring protests. Saied, the 63-year-old former constitutional law professor, who locals often refer to as “Robocop” because of his very formal and sometimes awkward way of speaking Will now heads the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the North African country after having been in parliament for 30 days.

Saied has stripped MPs of their immunity from prosecution and announced on Monday evening a strict nationwide one-month curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. and a ban on gatherings of more than three people in public spaces. He justifies his actions with an article of the constitution, which can be triggered by the executive branch in an emergency; but whether it was actually justified is now the subject of heated debate across the country.

The Islamist Ennahdha party, Tunisia’s parliamentary majority and a driving force in the country since 2011, loudly criticized Saied’s move as a coup. She wrote in a statement on her official Facebook page on Tuesday that “the extraordinary measures announced by the President of the Republic are unconstitutional and represent a coup against the Constitution and institutions, especially those that are freezing parliamentary activity and monopolizing everyone Powers concern “. without constitutional control. ”

The party urged the president “to reverse them and to address the challenges and difficulties the country is experiencing within the constitutional and legal framework consistent with the democratic choice of the Tunisian people”.

People celebrate in the streets after Tunisian President Kais Saied announced the suspension of Parliament and the dismissal of the Prime Minister in Tunis on July 25, 2021 after a day of nationwide protests.

Fethi Belaid | AFP | Getty Images

Saied was sacked Sunday evening and appointed a replacement for Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, who said he would hand over power to whoever the president appointed and would not be a “disruptive element”.

“In order to protect the security of all Tunisians, I declare that I will stand by the side of our people as always and will not take any position or responsibility in the state,” Mechichi said in a statement on Facebook.

“The situation in Tunisia is really bad”

Still, the president is receiving significant support from Tunisians who consider his actions necessary to rid the government of corrupt and incompetent politicians as the country’s economic and Covid-19 crisis metastasize.

“I agree with what President Kais Saied has done, mainly because the situation here in Tunisia is really bad in every way,” Hatem Zarrouk, a 27-year-old Tunisian finance director, told CNBC on Tuesday.

“The Prime Minister has made really bad decisions in the last few months and things are going really badly in Tunisia – economically, sanitary, financially, even for sure – so people are just upset and really fed up with the situation. They just wanted a few Changes, “said Zarrouk.

Employees of the Tunisian community saw them carry a coffin of a COVID-19 victim in the regional hospital during the coronavirus infection.

Jdidi Wassim | SOPA pictures | LightRakete | Getty Images

Covid-19 has killed more than 18,000 people in Tunisia and the cases are rapidly spreading among a population where only 7.9% of people are vaccinated.

Even before the outbreak of the pandemic, youth unemployment in the country of 10 million people was 36%, the highest in North Africa. The coronavirus pandemic has devastated Tunisia’s vital tourism industry, forcing thousands of people to leave the country, especially those with professional qualifications.

And when some of the country’s hospitals ran out of oxygen earlier this month, the newly deposed Prime Minister Mechichi and some of his colleagues drove to an upscale seaside resort, which has been sharply criticized by Tunisians and other lawmakers.

Fear of civil war

For Zarrouk and those celebrating the change of president, the future is uncertain. Most of all they fear retaliation from Saied’s opponents, especially from the Ennahdha party and its supporters.

“Everyone is just thinking about what will happen next,” said Zarrouk. “To be honest, we’re all kind of scared because we know the power that the Islamic Party, which is Ennahdha … so we’re scared that they’ll grab guns and basically start a civil war.”

Ennahdha did not respond to a CNBC request for comment, but a statement on its official Facebook page declined proposals for violence and said the party: “Warns of the dangers of violent discourse, incitement and marginalization for the national social fabric and those resulting from it resulting “dangers from which Tunisia must be spared.”

Tunisian security officials hold protesters in front of the parliament building in the capital Tunis on July 26, 2021 after the president suspended the country’s parliament and sacked the prime minister. – Tunisia was plunged even deeper into crisis when President Kais Saied suspended parliament and sacked Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi at the end of July 25, prompting the country’s largest political party to denounce a “coup”. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP) (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP via Getty Images)

FETHI BELAID | AFP | Getty Images

“Let me be clear: the situation is unclear,” Seif, a young Tunisian from Tunis, told CNBC. “We have to be very careful – it could get pretty bad. We also have extremists, terrorists in the mountains, and the situation could escalate; they could be used as a weapon against this ‘coup’.” Name to be withheld for professional reasons.

Khalil H., a businessman in Tunis, expressed concern about the change of president. “A month to install the future dictatorship. How convenient,” he said, and asked that his last name be withheld for fear of state reprisals. “People are happy, but people don’t know any better.”

As for next, the Tunisians say they want to see a plan.

“The president’s actions show goodwill – he has invited all trade unions, civil actors and judicial authorities to discuss their recommendations,” said Seif, adding that he believed the curfew was “necessary to get things done.” calm”.

What would show the most legitimacy and transparency now, said Seif, would be new elections. “People still have confidence,” he added, “but everyone wants to see a set schedule and action plan.”