Hundreds gathered in Tunisia on Saturday to protest against President Kais Saied's tightening grip on power since July, which has led to a constitutional crisis and accusations of a coup. Protesters gathered in downtown Tunis chanting "Down with the coup" and "We want to return to legitimacy," while dozens of Saied's supporters organized a separate protest chanting "The people want the parliament dissolved."
The protests were accompanied by a heavy police presence, marking the first significant demonstration since Saied announced on July 25 the dismissal of the prime minister, the suspension of parliament, and the control of executive powers. Saturday's protests may indicate how security forces, many of whose leaders Saied has appointed recently, will handle popular opposition. The police appeared to manage both supporters and opponents of Saied equally, standing between the two groups in front of the municipal theater on Habib Bourguiba Street.
Saied's actions have gained considerable popularity in a country that has suffered from economic stagnation and political deadlock for years, but they have raised concerns about new rights and the democratic system established after the 2011 uprising, which sparked the "Arab Spring" protests. Although the Ennahda Party, the largest party in parliament, initially referred to Saied's decisions as a coup, it soon backtracked, and the period following Saied's moves has been marked by calm.
However, eight weeks later, Saied has yet to appoint a prime minister or announce his longer-term plans. A presidential advisor told Reuters this month that Saied is considering suspending the 2014 constitution and drafting a new constitution to be put to a referendum, a possibility that has led to the greatest and most severe opposition he has faced since July 25. Meanwhile, police have arrested some parliament members after lifting their immunity, and many Tunisians have been barred from leaving the country.
Saied has rejected claims of a coup, with his supporters framing his steps as an opportunity to reset the gains achieved after the uprising and rid the country of corrupt elites. Mohammed Selim, who was at the counter-protest with his son, stated, "They are here only to defend their personal interests... and to defend the corrupt and the Islamists."
Imad, who watched the protests without participating, remarked, "I do not support anyone. I am with Tunisia. I am glad that Tunisia has bid farewell to a decade of failure, but Saied must show that he is capable of this phase and proceed to real political reforms, especially regarding social conditions."
