Thousands of supporters of the opposition Free Constitutional Party in Tunisia gathered today, Sunday, in a march in the capital, Tunis, against President Kais Saied, accusing him of moving towards strengthening "individual rule", imposing a populist political project and a sharp deepening of the economic and social crisis in the country.

The "Free Constitutional" protest would increase pressure on Saeed, who is already facing a wave of widespread criticism at home and abroad since he suspended parliament and seized the executive authority last summer and decided to rule by decree, in a move his opponents described as a "coup".

More than two thousand supporters of the party - headed by anti-Islamist Abeer Moussa - gathered on Khair El-Din Pasha Street in the capital, chanting slogans such as "Oh citizen, O Mujua... poverty has increased, hunger has increased", "Famine is at the door", and "O government." Shame caught prices."


edge of starvation

They also raised banners that read "Tunisia on the brink of famine" and "Famine is at the door and the ruler is interested in consulting", and some of them raised pieces of bread, in reference to the high cost of living.

Saeed says his steps were necessary to save the country from collapse after years of rampant corruption and poverty.

Although the Constitutional Party - led by Abeer Moussa - welcomed the first steps taken by the Tunisian president, he quickly criticized him, and began describing him as the head of the de-facto authority, considering that he did not show any sign of reform, but rather used it to impose a populist political project.

In a speech to her supporters, Moussa said that Said had overlooked the treatment of the economy and made the utmost desires of Tunisians to search for flour, sugar and oil, adding that he "served the interests of the Brotherhood and made them the victim."


change the constitution

Saeed seeks to change the constitution according to the results of a national consultation through which the people's opinion is polled on the Internet, which has so far faced widespread reluctance.

Opposition parties consider this consultation to deceive Tunisians to move forward with his political project.

Over the past months, the opposition has protested against Saeed's steps, but the president did not back down from his plans and vowed to move forward with what he describes as cleansing the country, raising the slogan "sovereignty to the people."

Tunisia is facing a severe public finance crisis, the country is on the verge of bankruptcy, and has begun talks on a rescue package with the International Monetary Fund, but Tunisians are already facing a shortage of basic commodities, including flour, semolina and sugar.


The judiciary is angry

President Said is also criticized and accused of interfering with the judiciary. The Tunisian Judges Association announced yesterday, Saturday, its refusal to deal with the Interim Supreme Judicial Council, considering it "illegitimate."

And last Monday, members of the temporary judicial councils in Tunisia (judicial, administrative and financial) were sworn in before the country’s president, Kais Saied, by a presidential decree issued last February, to replace the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (an independent constitutional body), which sparked protests and rejection from judicial bodies and forces. many politics.

The Association of Tunisian Judges called on “all judges to adhere to the performance of their judicial functions independently, impartially and impartially, and not to resort to their judiciary except for their conscience and the law, and not to accept any instructions or directives, neither from the appointed council, nor from the presidency of the government, nor from the Ministry of Justice, or any other party.”

President Saied is also accused of restricting the work of civil society associations. On Friday, 13 Tunisian and international NGOs denounced a draft law prepared by President Kais Saied on the establishment and financing of organizations, and consider it a “threat” and a “restriction” to civil society in the country, as the premise of what was called. Arab Spring".

In a statement signed by 13 organizations, Human Rights Watch said a draft law "recently leaked to regulate civil society organizations" would "grant authorities broad powers and discretion to interfere with the way civil society organizations are formed, function, operate, financed, and their ability to speak publicly about their work and express their views." ".