According to the French presidency, President Emmanuel Macron had a telephone conversation with his Tunisian counterpart, Kais Saied, and expressed to him his desire that Tunisia would be able to respond quickly to the economic, social and health challenges it is facing.

The Elysee said, in a statement, that the Tunisian president informed his French counterpart that he will soon present his roadmap for the coming period, and will continue to give importance to popular legitimacy.

The statement added that the Tunisian president expressed his commitment to responding to emergencies, while Macron affirmed that France stands by Tunisia and the Tunisian people at this crucial moment for the sake of its sovereignty and freedom, according to the statement.

More than a week ago, President Saeed decided to dismiss Al-Mashishi, assume the executive authority, head the Public Prosecution Office, freeze the powers of Parliament for a period of 30 days, and lift the immunity of MPs.

Said says that his exceptional measures are based on Article 80 of the constitution, and aim to "save the Tunisian state", in light of popular protests against the political, economic and health crises (Corona).

However, most parties rejected these measures, and some considered them a "coup against the constitution", while others supported them, and saw them as a "correction of course."


A call for a new political system

On the other hand, the so-called "Supreme Council of the Youth of the July 25 Movement" called on the Tunisian president to "accelerate the holding of a national referendum and early elections."

This call came in a media meeting in the capital, Tunis, for the newly established council, which identifies itself as a supporter of President Said and his decisions, and refuses to affiliate with any political party.

The leader of the council, Shakir Ben Ali, called during the meeting for a "national referendum and early elections, while rejecting dialogue and returning to the old political system," as he put it.

The council called for "holding all parties responsible for the political, economic and social crises in Tunisia to account."

He added that his support for the extraordinary decisions and measures taken by the president on July 25 is not absolute.

In turn, the leader of the parliament, Nassaf Mami, said that "the necessity calls for creating a new political and electoral system, and ending the parliamentary system."

She added, "President Saeed's focus in the coming period should focus on developing a road map and meeting the demands that were raised following the exceptional measures announced on July 25."


house arrest and travel ban

Yesterday, a spokesman for the Public Prosecution Office in Tunisia, Mohsen Al-Dali, said that the Public Prosecution had taken decisions to ban travel against a number of officials in the previous government, and he explained - in a statement to a local radio - that the list of officials concerned with the travel ban will be issued later.

Al Jazeera learned that the decisions include the head of the Cabinet of the Minister of Industry and an advisor to the Ministry of Transport in the dismissed government of Al-Mashishi.

The Ministry of Interior also placed a prominent leader of the Ennahda party and former minister Anwar Maarouf under house arrest "without justifying the reasons," according to a statement by the movement.

In its statement, the movement expressed its rejection of placing known judges, activists and politicians under house arrest, considering that this procedure is "illegal", while Al-Dali explained that decisions related to house arrest are administrative decisions taken by the Ministry of Interior, in accordance with the emergency law.

And she said, "Dr. Anwar Maarouf, the former minister and leader of the Ennahda movement, was informed - by security elements - that he was placed under house arrest, without providing him with a written copy of a reasoned decision issued by the Minister of Interior."


denial and stab

The movement affirmed its solidarity with Anwar Maarouf and with all the victims of these measures, and its rejection of all "arbitrary decisions that touched rights and freedoms, including the right of movement, travel and freedom of expression."

The Ennahda movement announced that it "instructed its legal office to appeal this decision before the Administrative Court, as it was an arbitrary decision that did not respect legal procedures."

She called on the President of the Republic, Kais Saied, to lift the measures that violate the provisions of the constitution, law and international covenants, she said. She also called on all "democratic and human rights forces to unite efforts to put an end to the systematic campaign that has become affecting increasing sectors of Tunisians."

In the same context, Ennahda denied signing any contract with institutions outside Tunisia to polish its image or receiving funds from any external party, and stressed that it is subject to the procedures of Tunisian law, and that its accounts and contracts are monitored by the Court of Accounts.

Ennahda's denial came in light of accusations circulating that the movement received foreign financial support during the last election campaign, and demands for judicial follow-up.

And earlier yesterday, local media reported that the Ennahda movement had signed a contract with an advertising company in the United States to beautify its image abroad, last July, for $30,000.


Separation of powers

Meanwhile, Tunisian civil society organizations - in a joint statement a few days ago - called on the Tunisian president to develop an action plan according to a clear and specific agenda in time and in a participatory manner with civil forces.

She stressed the need to respect the principle of separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary, and stressed the need to form a government as soon as possible in which efficiency and equity are respected.

The statement was signed by the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists, the Association of Tunisian Judges, the Tunisian Association of Young Lawyers, the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women and other organizations.

In turn, the Tunisian General Labor Union, as well as the United States and France, called on President Kais Saied to expedite the appointment of a new government.

The labor union is preparing a road map to end the crisis, and says it will present it to Saeed at an unspecified time.