The Tunisian General Labor Union called for drawing up a road map to "save" the country from the crisis, after the massive abstention in the legislative elections held last Saturday, considering this as a popular disavowal by President Kais Saied.
"The General Labor Union records a significant decline in the participation rate in the elections, which loses its credibility and legitimacy," said the Secretary-General of the Union, Noureddine Al-Taboubi, in a strongly worded statement published after the meeting of the executive office of the union.
The participation rate of 11.22% in Saturday's poll is the lowest since the 2011 revolution that overthrew the late President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and established a democratic regime.
According to the General Labor Union, this participation rate reflects a "clear rejection" of the system that Saeed has sought to establish since July 2021, which has brought nothing but "tragedies and dilemmas."
The General Labor Union indicated that this presidential system, in light of a parliament devoid of privileges, constitutes "a suitable soil for tyranny" and enshrines "the rule of the individual."
While the General Labor Union described the situation in Tunisia, which is also suffering from a severe economic crisis, as "explosive," it affirmed "assuming its national responsibility and contributing with the national forces to saving the country according to clear national goals and a precise road map."
In turn, President Qais Saeed confirmed - during his meeting with Prime Minister Naglaa Boden - that what he called "some well-known parties" did not find this time anything to focus on except for the participation rate in the first round of the legislative elections to question the representation of the next House of Representatives, while the percentage of Participation is not measured by the first round only, but by the two rounds, as he put it.
partisan responses
On the other hand, opposition parties and organizations considered that the turnout represents an end to the president's legitimacy completely, and called for early presidential elections.
Major parties in Tunisia - including the Salvation Front, which includes the Ennahda Party and the Free Constitutional Party - said that Saeed does not enjoy legitimacy and should step down, calling for mass popular movements against his rule.
The Tunisian economy is facing the worst crisis since the country's independence in the fifties of the last century, due to the political instability since the 2011 revolution that overthrew former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and the repercussions of the Corona pandemic, amid calls for the authorities to carry out economic reforms.
And at the end of last May, Tunisian President Kais Saied excluded the main parties from participating in the committee preparing the new draft constitution through a "national dialogue", while the Labor Union refused at the time to participate in it, considering it a formal dialogue that excludes civil forces.