ATfter months of political deadlock, President Kaïs Saïed, elected at the end of 2019, assumed full powers on July 25 by dismissing the Prime Minister and suspending Parliament. On September 22, the Head of State formalized his full powers through “exceptional measures” which extend the suspension of Parliament. They also allow him to legislate by decree, to preside over the Council of Ministers and to modify the laws of the country.
The end of the exceptional measures on the agenda
At the call of the Office of the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP), a body that brings together the Presidency of Parliament and representatives of the parties sitting there, 120 deputies (out of a total of 217) participated in this online plenary , chaired by Tarek Fertiti, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, an independent.
The president of the ARP, Rached Ghannouchi, also leader of the Islamist-inspired party Ennahdha, did not take part in this plenary session.
One hundred and sixteen MPs voted in favor of a bill aimed at reversing the exceptional measures taken by the head of state, which they say are blocking the democratic process and establishing one-man rule in the country cradle of the Arab Spring. The deputies, including elected members of Ennahdha and independents, also called for the organization of early legislative and presidential elections to get out of the political and socio-economic crisis.
Also recognizing their share of responsibility in this crisis, they called for a national dialogue between all parties. “We are not deputies frozen or suspended as wanted (President Saïed), except to be under the power of a new pharaoh”, said the independent deputy Safi Saïd, former presidential candidate.
Cleavage
At the opening of a national security council on Monday, President Saïed denounced “what have been called illegal virtual meetings” which are only “desperate attempts without any value […] and attempts for a coup d’etat”.
The powerful UGTT trade union center also rejected Tuesday the meetings of the suspended Parliament, which aim, according to this organization to “bring the country into a conflict and a political division”.
A second plenary session should, in principle, be held on Saturday, April 2, and should focus on the economic and financial situation of the country.
