Political coup or constitutional right? What's going on in Tunisia?

Saithan

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Tunisia president sacks defense minister amid political turmoil​

TUNIS-Agence France-Presse​

Tunisia president sacks defense minister amid political turmoil

Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked the defense minister on July 26, a day after ousting the prime minister and suspending parliament, plunging the young democracy into a constitutional crisis in the midst of a pandemic.

Street clashes erupted on July 26 outside the army-barricaded parliament, after Saied dismissed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and ordered parliament closed for 30 days, a move the biggest political party Ennahdha decried as a "coup".

Mechichi said he would hand power to the man chosen by the president, in his first comments since the shock move.

Saied declared on July 25 he had "taken the necessary decisions to save Tunisia, the state and the Tunisian people," following street protests in multiple cities against the government’s handling of the COVID pandemic in the North African country.

The president, who under the constitution controls the armed forces, warned his opponents against taking up arms, threatening that if anyone "fires a single bullet, our forces will respond with a rain of bullets".

On July 26 afternoon, the presidency announced the dismissals of defense Minister Ibrahim Bartaji and Hasna Ben Slimane, the acting justice minister.

Soldiers from early July 26 blockaded the assembly in Tunis while Saied backers hurled stones, bottles and insults at supporters of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha, whose leader was barred entry to the complex.
Troops also surrounded the office of Mechichi.

Later in the afternoon, the protests died down, with the presidency extending an overnight curfew in place to combat the coronavirus and banning gatherings of more than three people.

Saied’s dramatic move - a decade on from Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, often held up as the Arab Spring’s sole success story - comes even though the constitution enshrines a parliamentary democracy.

It "is a coup d’etat against the revolution and against the constitution," said Ennahdha, the lead party in Tunisia’s fractious ruling coalition, warning its members "will defend the revolution".

The powerful Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) which played a key role in the 2011 uprising, said the president had acted "in accordance" with the constitution to "prevent imminent danger and to restore the normal functioning" of the state.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 26 spoke by telephone with the Tunisian president asking him to respect democracy and "maintain open dialogue with all political actors and the Tunisian people," the State Department said.

The European Union appealed to people to respect the "rule of law" and to "avoid any resort to violence" while former colonial ruler France urged a speedy return to "normal functioning" of the government.

Russia said it was monitoring the situation, while Turkey, where the government supports Ennahdha, called for "democratic legitimacy" to be restored.

The crisis follows months of deadlock between the president, the premier and Ennahdha chief Rached Ghannouchi, which has crippled the COVID response, as deaths have surged to one of the world’s highest per capita rates.

More than 18,000 people have died of coronavirus in a nation of 12 million.

Police also shuttered the local bureau of Qatari-based Al Jazeera television, the network’s Tunis director Lotfi Hajji said, warning that "what is happening is very dangerous, it is proof that freedom of the press is threatened".

Media organization Reporters Without Borders condemned the move, while Amnesty International called it a "deeply worrying precedent signalling that human rights are in danger".

Saied’s power-grab sparked jubilant rallies late on July 25 by supporters who flooded the streets of Tunis, waving the national flag and sounding their car horns as fireworks lit up the sky.

Since Saied was elected in 2019, he has been locked in a showdown with Mechichi and Ghannouchi, who is also house speaker.

The rivalry has blocked ministerial appointments and diverted resources from tackling Tunisia’s many economic and social problems.

Saied said he would assume executive power "with the help" of a government whose new chief he would appoint himself.

Analysts said it was not clear what would happen next. "We are in the unknown," said Michael Ayari, from the International Crisis Group.

In the 10 years since Tunisia’s popular revolution toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia has had nine governments.

Some have lasted just months, hindering the reforms needed to revamp the country’s struggling economy and poor public services.

July 25's drama began with mass protests against the government for its failures in tackling the pandemic.

A senior Ennahdha official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, alleged that the protests and subsequent celebrations were choreographed by Saied.

After Saied’s announcement, one jubilant supporter, Nahla, hailed the president’s "courageous decisions".

But one man in his forties looked on without enthusiasm.

"These fools are celebrating the birth of a new dictator," he said.


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Well I don't know how the government handled the covid, but if it's bad and has been going on for a while then it's about time to change governments.

Let's see what happens hoping for covid restrictions to reduce the spreading and having a positive effect. But make no mistake covid restrictions are in wrong hands easily abused to gain power.

Shutting down Aljazeera is probably a bad indicator.
 

Fachfouch

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ok. lets see what will happen in month and future, meanwhile Turkey should be aware of this aspect of propaganda warfare, not saying that this kind of activities cancel people discontent but it is significant tool for shaping political views of gullible people.

it's normal to use trends to spread their video, in the other hand making fake accounts and switching old propaganda account against the decisions from our allies countries is worrisome and really disappointing
 

Fachfouch

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and many other accounts from Qatar and Turkey and Pakistan ect...
the approval of Kais decision does not need to be proved on tweeter it is seen in streets and in everyday life... you should know that there was no arrests and everyone is expressing he's own opinion most of the people are happy but they fear what's next that's do the president have a plan have road map ? does he know what he's doing ? is El Nahdha coming back ? ect but still they hate this political system they hate the parliament and they hate EL Nahdha.
 

Fachfouch

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that was a fake document and it was solved but actually since the problems started to rise in the parliament everyone called for the president to use article 80 everyone knows about that article and the president himself warned them that if they will not solve this problems he will use it in many occasions honestly everyone knew that this parliament could not continue until the end of its term we were waiting for the worse like the army would overthrow everything and we never thought that Kais would be faithful to his word.
 

mulj

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it's normal to use trends to spread their video, in the other hand making fake accounts and switching old propaganda account against the decisions from our allies countries is worrisome and really disappointing
I know, part of propaganda is counter propaganda. Let see what will happen in future, unless the president did not get fat money check to contain crysys from ordinary citizen pov whole this mess is in vain.
 

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Time to stop the Anka delivery to Tunisia until the rightful government is reinstalled.
 
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Madokafc

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UAE is more preferable to me compared to other GCC

AKP should stay away from giving misleading statement, Turkish is good friend until they are made political intervention on AKP instigation. Just let the Tunisian people to chose their own way, whatever happened let it happened.
 

rainmaker

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AKP should stay away from giving misleading statement, Turkish is good friend until they are made political intervention on AKP instigation. Just let the Tunisian people to chose their own way, whatever happened let it happened.
Thanks to the suspension of Parliament, the Tunisian people will not be able to chose their way anymore, instead will be dictated to by a pro-Saudi, pro-UAE dictator who will always look after the interests of Saudi and UAE instead of the Tunisian people.

If you support the coup then you should leave Indonesia (a democracy) and join them.
 

Madokafc

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Thanks to the suspension of Parliament, the Tunisian people will not be able to chose their way anymore, instead will be dictated to by a pro-Saudi, pro-UAE dictator who will always look after the interests of Saudi and UAE instead of the Tunisian people.

If you support the coup then you should leave Indonesia (a democracy) and join them.

Let the Tunisian solved their own problem. That's their own problem even if they started a civil War!!!

You don't have any meaningful suggestion and only rants. You are not even Tunisian to begin with
 

Fachfouch

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Thanks to the suspension of Parliament, the Tunisian people will not be able to chose their way anymore, instead will be dictated to by a pro-Saudi, pro-UAE dictator who will always look after the interests of Saudi and UAE instead of the Tunisian people.

If you support the coup then you should leave Indonesia (a democracy) and join them.
again with the assumption talking like you know the political situation and even what happened
 

Fachfouch

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all the Tunisian NGO announced today their support of the president decision
Tunisia on 07/27/2021
A joint statement issued by:
The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists
Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights
The Tunisian General Labor Union
The National Bar Association of Tunisia
- Tunisian Association of Democratic Women
Tunisian Judges Association
- Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights
After the President of the Republic announced a number of exceptional measures on Sunday, July 25, 2021, and in compliance with the principles of the Republic, the civility of the state and the sovereignty of its institutions, in defense of the gains of the Tunisian revolution and public and individual liberties, and in order to protect the democratic path and the system of rights and freedoms against all attempts to deviate from it or to retreat from it, organizations, unions, and parties are concerned. Below, which was called for an urgent consultative meeting at the headquarters of the National Union of Journalists on Monday, July 26, 2021, to express:
- Its adoption of the legitimate demands of the Tunisian people, which they expressed during their peaceful movements, and salutes their protest movements after the failure of the ruling system to find solutions to the health, economic, social and political crisis that drained the citizen and confiscated the national decision. It also emphasizes the need to change policies and review economic and social options in order not to create the same The crisis that continued for years as a result of unpopular policies.
- Her call on all citizens to show calm and restraint, not to be drawn into violence, and to preserve the institutions of our country and the public and private interests of the people. It calls on all political forces to give priority to the public interest and to address controversial issues within their respective frameworks on the basis of dialogue and discussion and conduct them in a civil and peaceful manner away from the logic of incitement and incitement. It stresses the need to respect public and individual freedoms, the civil character of the Tunisian state, respect for the country’s constitution, independence of the judiciary, and respect for freedom of expression, media and the press. And not slipping towards the exclusivity of power.
- Its adherence to all the gains of the Tunisian revolution expressed by the Revolution of Freedom and Dignity. Emphasizes the need to adhere to equality, parity and participation as principles necessary to ensure a comprehensive vision linked to the aspirations of the Tunisian people and faithful to our gains.
- Its warning against any illegal and justified extension of the disruption of state institutions and stresses the need to adhere to the declared month period stipulated in the constitution to end the work of exceptional measures and the pooling of powers in the hands of the President of the Republic
- Calling her to respect the judiciary as an authority completely independent of the executive and legislative authorities so that it can regain its role and work independently to expedite the opening of all files, especially for an urgent meeting related to assassinations, terrorism and corruption.
- Her call on the President of the Republic to set a road map according to a clear calendar that does not exceed thirty days and in a participatory manner with all civil forces related to urgent issues such as fighting the Corona virus and initiating a review of the electoral law and the political system and the fight against corruption.
- Emphasizing the need to ensure the continuity of the work of state institutions and national bodies, to protect them from collapse and not to retreat from the decentralization path.
The organizations and unions under review announce the agreement to form a joint working committee to follow up on developments in the political situation in the country and to prepare a vision for a road map that includes urgent axes to be shared with civil society organizations and submitted to public opinion and to the President of the Republic.
Signatures:
The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists
The Tunisian General Labor Union
The National Bar Association of Tunisia
- Tunisian Association of Democratic Women
Tunisian Judges Association
Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights
- Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights
 

KKF 2.0

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Tunisia is a smaller, less developed, poorer version of what we Turks call 'old Turkey'. In other words: Little Kemalistan. They even have an article within a supposedly democratic constitution to basically abandon the democratic system. Wtf...
 

Fachfouch

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You forgot rule no. 1 you find in forums/twitter heh:

Every foreigner is more of an expert on your own country than you (a local) are.
true... it's good to have opinions pro or con the situation but at least you need to know somethings before saying anything and not jump into assumptions and conclusions... The situation in Tunisia was not a surprise nor sudden it was due to many problems and catastrophes that soared for 10 years...
 

CEZAYIRLI

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still not confirmed the army is running patrols but that's since last week because of corona...
Tunisia will prevail and will continue as the only Democracy in the Arab World. Gulf and other Arab States, among them Egypt and UAE, wish for Tunisia to become a dictatorship that they will manipulate, but that won't happen. Tunisia alone has more intellectual elite and intelligentsia than all the Arab world combined. Tunisia's founder Bourguiba had built the Tunisian State in 1950's based upon the Turkish Kamal Ataturk political model and not on Egypt's Nasser dictatorship model. Long Live Tunisia.
 
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