sammuel
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Tunisia president accused of staging coup after suspending parliament
Kais Saied invokes emergency article of constitution after violent protests against country’s biggest party
Often touted as the lone success story of the Arab spring revolutions a decade ago, Tunisia is facing a critical challenge to its fledgling democracy after its president suspended parliament and dismissed his prime minister in what critics described as a coup.
Kais Saied, an independent without a party behind him, announced he was invoking an emergency article of Tunisia’s constitution late on Sunday night after a day of violent protests against the country’s biggest party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda movement.
The capital, Tunis, was flooded with jubilant crowds waving flags, letting off fireworks and honking car horns after Saied’s declaration in scenes reminiscent of the 2011 protests which toppled the country’s longtime autocratic ruler, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
On Monday, Saied also removed the defence minister and acting justice minister from their posts, while Al Jazeera reported that its bureau in Tunis had been raided by security forces. Its journalists were expelled from the premises and phones, computers and other equipment confiscated.
What comes next is unclear. The deployment of the army has sparked fears of destabilisation and a return to authoritarian rule. At the same time, Tunisians’ anger at one of Africa’s worst virus outbreaks, and the fractious political class’s inability to tackle the county’s chronic economic problems, has finally boiled over.
“We have been relieved of them,” said Lamia Meftahi, a woman who joined in the celebrations overnight. “This is the happiest moment since the revolution.”
Tunisia’s small army, which is widely seen as being outside politics, was met with an almost rapturous reception by protesters when it deployed overnight, even as soldiers surrounded parliament and blocked the parliamentary speaker, veteran Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi, from entering the building.
Outside parliament on Monday, handfuls of Ennahda voters scuffled with the president’s supporters in 39C heat.
the rest here
www.theguardian.com
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Tunisia president accused of staging coup after suspending parliament
Kais Saied invokes emergency article of constitution after violent protests against country’s biggest party
Often touted as the lone success story of the Arab spring revolutions a decade ago, Tunisia is facing a critical challenge to its fledgling democracy after its president suspended parliament and dismissed his prime minister in what critics described as a coup.
Kais Saied, an independent without a party behind him, announced he was invoking an emergency article of Tunisia’s constitution late on Sunday night after a day of violent protests against the country’s biggest party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda movement.
The capital, Tunis, was flooded with jubilant crowds waving flags, letting off fireworks and honking car horns after Saied’s declaration in scenes reminiscent of the 2011 protests which toppled the country’s longtime autocratic ruler, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
On Monday, Saied also removed the defence minister and acting justice minister from their posts, while Al Jazeera reported that its bureau in Tunis had been raided by security forces. Its journalists were expelled from the premises and phones, computers and other equipment confiscated.
What comes next is unclear. The deployment of the army has sparked fears of destabilisation and a return to authoritarian rule. At the same time, Tunisians’ anger at one of Africa’s worst virus outbreaks, and the fractious political class’s inability to tackle the county’s chronic economic problems, has finally boiled over.
“We have been relieved of them,” said Lamia Meftahi, a woman who joined in the celebrations overnight. “This is the happiest moment since the revolution.”
Tunisia’s small army, which is widely seen as being outside politics, was met with an almost rapturous reception by protesters when it deployed overnight, even as soldiers surrounded parliament and blocked the parliamentary speaker, veteran Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi, from entering the building.
Outside parliament on Monday, handfuls of Ennahda voters scuffled with the president’s supporters in 39C heat.
the rest here
Tunisia president accused of staging coup after suspending parliament
Kais Saied invokes emergency article of constitution after violent protests against country’s biggest party
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