The largest party in the Tunisian parliament expressed concern on Tuesday about what it described as the uncertainty surrounding the country's future after President Kais Saied decided to extend emergency measures he announced a month ago indefinitely. The moderate Islamic Ennahda party labeled Saied's decisions, his control over state powers, and the suspension of parliament as a coup, but recent statements from the party merely describe the steps as a violation of the constitution.
Saied has not appointed a Prime Minister or a government, nor has he announced his intentions despite a month passing since his decisions, amid widespread speculation that he intends to reshape the 2014 democratic constitution. The Tunisian presidency stated late Monday that Saied had decided to extend the measures indefinitely without providing further details, adding that he would deliver a speech in the coming days.
The constitutional crisis arises as Tunisia's economy struggles, facing imminent threats to public finances a decade after the revolution that brought democracy. The United States, France, various Tunisian political parties, and the influential labor union urged Saied to expedite the appointment of a government and clarify his future plans. However, the president's intervention seems to have widespread popular support.
During the past month, Saied dismissed several high-ranking officials in the national government, regional governments, and security agencies, along with other bodies. The Tunisian presidency published a video clip of Saied meeting with the Minister of Trade on Tuesday. Saied stated that "the political institutions as they were operating pose a threat to the state... the parliament itself is a danger to the state."
Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of Ennahda, presides over the parliament, and the party has played a role in successive governments since the revolution. Among the decisions announced by Saied on July 25 was lifting the immunity of parliament members. Since then, several MPs, including those supporting and opposing the president, have been arrested or placed under house arrest on various charges.
In its statement, the Ennahda party called for an end to what it described as the assault on citizens' constitutional rights and the violations occurring through arrests and travel restrictions.
