Tunisia: Thousands from rival political parties protest against President Kais Saied

TUNIS— Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Tunisia’s capital to demonstrate against the president.

Parallel demonstrations by political movements who are deeply opposed to each other were held in Tunis.

Both groups denounced Kais Saied as an autocrat who is reversing the democratic progress made since the 2011 uprising.

They also demanded accountability for the country’s economic crisis which has seen food and fuel shortages.

After sacking the prime minister and suspending parliament in July 2021, a year later Saied pushed through a constitution enshrining his one-man rule after a vote boycotted by the main opposition parties.

It gave the head of state full executive control, supreme command of the army and the ability to appoint a government without parliamentary approval.

Saied said his reforms were being done in the spirit of the 2011 revolution and would ensure a better future.

One of the Saturday marches was organised by the National Salvation Front, a coalition of opposition parties including the Ennahda party that had dominated Tunisia’s parliament before its dissolution by Saied.

The National Salvation Front has announced it will boycott a December vote to elect a new parliament with limited powers.

Ennahda’s rival, the Free Destourian Party, also organised a protest in the capital on Saturday.

Around 1,500 people joined the Ennahda-led demonstration, while nearly 1,000 attended the PDL protest, the interior ministry said.

The cash-strapped country has reached a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund on Saturday for a rescue package loan of $1.9bn to help it restore economic stability and strengthen social safety nets.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK