His opponents considered it a coup.. the Tunisian president dismisses the government, freezes parliament and assumes executive power

Tunisian President Kais Saied announced yesterday evening, Sunday, the freezing of the powers of Parliament, the lifting of immunity from his deputies, and the dismissal of Prime Minister Hisham Al-Mashishi.

Saied said after an emergency meeting he held at Carthage Palace with security and military officials that he decided "in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, to take measures required by (...) the situation, to save Tunisia, to save the Tunisian state and to save Tunisian society."

"You will undoubtedly notice public facilities crumbling, and there are looting and war operations, and there are those who are preparing to pay money in some neighborhoods for internal fighting," the Tunisian president said, stressing that he took these measures in consultation with Prime Minister Hisham Al-Mashishi and Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi.

Tunisians took to the streets after the president announced the freezing of parliament and dismissal of the government (Anatolia)

Freeze for a month

"We are going through the most delicate moments in Tunisia's history, even the most dangerous," he added in a statement broadcast on state television, at a time when the country is facing an unprecedented health crisis due to the outbreak of the Corona virus and power struggles.

Said said that he based his decisions on Article 80 of the constitution, which allows this type of measures in the event of “imminent danger.” Later, the Tunisian presidency clarified that “the suspension of the work and powers of Parliament will be for a period of 30 days.”

He added, "We did not want to resort to these measures despite the fulfillment of the constitutional conditions, but on the other hand, many people were accused of hypocrisy, treachery and the robbery of the rights of the people," noting that "the constitution does not allow parliament to be dissolved, but it does not stand in front of it freezing it."

Saeed added in his statement, "I warn many who think of resorting to weapons... and whoever shoots a bullet, the armed forces will confront him with bullets."

He stressed that what he did "is not a suspension of the constitution, and not a departure from constitutional legitimacy," and said, "We work within the framework of the law, but if the law turns into a tool for settling accounts and a tool for empowering thieves who looted state funds and the money of the impoverished people, it is not the laws that express about the will of the people, but rather as tools to rob the will of the people.”

Tunisia's president and parliament were elected in separate popular elections in 2019, while Prime Minister Hicham Mechichi took office last summer to replace another government that only lasted for a short period.

Tunisian soldiers on Bourguiba Street (Anatolia)

Parliament closed

Following the announcement of the Tunisian president's decisions, a force from the army prevented Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, his deputy, Samira Chaouachi, and other deputies from entering the parliament headquarters.

Military vehicles surrounded the parliament building hours after Saeed's statement.

Al-Jazeera correspondent said that limited skirmishes took place in front of his gate between a number of the president's supporters on the one hand and those who rejected his decisions on the other.

Ghannouchi said in front of the parliament's door, "I am the Speaker of the Assembly of the People's Representatives, and I am unable to enter the institution that I head."

Ghannouchi called on the parliament's deputies to join its headquarters and "consider themselves carrying out their duty in the place where the people have placed them, which is Parliament."

Ghannouchi made an appeal to join the parliament's speaker in front of the parliament's gates, "in defense of democracy and the revolution," and said that "the Tunisian people are being subjected to a terrible attack in the exercise of their freedoms."

For her part, Deputy Speaker of the Council Samira Al-Shawashi considered that what is happening is a "violation of the constitution."

Addressing the military force that closed the parliament headquarters and prevented access to it, she said, "What threat does Parliament represent to the country for this to happen?"

"Parliament believes that the army protects Tunisia and transcends all differences, and there is no justification for closing the council," she added.

Rashid Ghannouchi yesterday evening in front of Parliament after he and a number of deputies were prevented from entering it (Reuters)

A coup against the revolution

The Ennahda movement considered the Tunisian president's decisions a "coup against the revolution" and democracy in the country, and called for these decisions to be confronted.

Ghannouchi - who heads the movement - said in a statement on his Facebook page that "what Kais Saied has done is a coup against the revolution and the constitution, and the supporters of Ennahda and the Tunisian people will defend the revolution."

Ghannouchi added in an interview with Al Jazeera that "the president's decisions are a coup against the constitution, revolution and freedoms in the country."

He stressed that Parliament is in permanent session due to the state of emergency and will continue to function normally.

He recalled that the constitution requires that the House of Representatives be in permanent session and prevents the government from being dissolved.

He explained that the president had consulted him in taking measures within the constitution only, while the decisions taken by the president were a "coup against the constitution."

From the protests that took place in Tunis yesterday against the (French) government.

Protests

On the other hand, supporters of the Tunisian president took to the streets of the capital shortly after his announcement and celebrated with chants, ululating and sounding car horns.

Despite the curfew imposed by the authorities to confront the Corona epidemic (Covid-19), supporters of the president went out late on Sunday evening to Habib Bourguiba Street.

Kais Saied briefly joined those celebrating his decisions on Habib Bourguiba Street.

Some Tunisian governorates witnessed demonstrations marking the 65th anniversary of the proclamation of the republic, during which slogans were raised calling for the downfall of the regime and the dissolution of Parliament, and denouncing the government and its policies.

These demonstrations included attempts by some of its participants to storm the headquarters of the Ennahda party and burn them. Banners of some of the party’s headquarters were smashed, especially in the governorates of Tozeur, Kairouan and Sousse, which called on the security forces to intervene and disperse the protesters.

In a statement, Ennahda condemned these attacks and accused those involved in them of being "criminal gangs that are employed from outside and inside the country's borders (...) with the aim of spreading manifestations of chaos and sabotage, to serve the agendas of overthrowing the democratic path and paving the way for the return of oppression and tyranny."