Under the title "Leader of Ennahda Movement: I Warned Them of Popular Anger and They Did Not React," the Arabnews site reported that while statements from within the Tunisian Ennahda movement continue to hold the movement responsible for the current situation in the country, former Ennahda leader Lotfi Zeitoun confirmed today, Tuesday, that he warned the movement of popular anger but they did not respond. This comes as a member of the executive office of the Tunisian Ennahda movement acknowledged on Tuesday that the movement bears a significant part of the responsibility for the current events in the country.
Khalil Barouni stated in a local radio interview, "We are experiencing a moment of reflection within Ennahda that requires us to reconsider our policies and leadership." He added, "We must avoid inciting discord and war among the Tunisian people." This follows hours after the Ennahda movement criticized President Kais Saied in a statement today, demanding that he reverse the decisions he made, which they claimed were "unconstitutional and represent a coup against the constitution."
The Ennahda movement also called on the president to retract his decisions and address the challenges and difficulties facing the country within the constitutional and legal framework that aligns with the democratic choice, emphasizing the necessity of resuming the work of the parliament as the originally elected authority.
In response, President Kais Saied clarified on Monday that the decisions he made were an application of the constitution and not a coup against it, stressing that he is not a coup leader, and urged anyone who believes otherwise to review their legal lessons, referencing Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi and its leadership. He also noted that he did not act outside of the constitution and based his decisions on Article 80, which allows him to take measures in the event of an imminent threat to the state, adding that the danger has become a reality in Tunisia, where it has become a haven for thieves who shelter behind legal texts tailored to their interests to share power and treat the state and its resources as their own, asserting that the state cannot continue in this manner.
On Sunday, President Kais Saied announced the suspension of all parliamentary powers for a month, stripping its members of immunity, and dismissing the government led by Hichem Mechichi, while assuming the presidency of the executive authority and the public prosecution, citing Article 80 of the constitution. This was deemed by Parliament President and Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi as "a coup against the constitution and the revolution." In response, the Ennahda movement called upon its supporters to go into the streets yesterday to defend what they termed legitimacy, leading to clashes and confrontations with security forces.
