Parties in the Tunisian Parliament have released statements regarding President Kais Saied’s taking over of executive powers and relieving Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi from his position, which many have regarded as a coup d’état.
The Ennahda Movement, the leading party of the Tunisian parliament, represented by 53 deputies, described the incident as “a coup against the revolution and the constitution” in a written statement. The leader of the movement, Rached Ghannouchi, stated in his press statement that Ennahda and its supporters will defend the revolution. “The democratically elected parliament, government, and others are still at work,” he expressed.
The Heart of Tunisia Party, which has 29 deputies in the parliament and is one of the partners of the coalition that supports the government, stated that President Saied’s statements are a serious violation of the provisions of the 80th article of the constitution, the basic articles of the civil state, and described the situation as a return to one-man rule. Expressing the party’s commitment to the rule of law and its institutions, the party’s statement said that they respect the legitimacy of the elections and will not accept any unlawful decision.
The Politburo of the Democratic Current Party, which has 22 deputies in the Tunisian Assembly, held an extraordinary meeting last night to discuss Saied’s decisions, such as freezing the work of the assembly and dismissing the prime minister. In the written statement made after the meeting, the party did not agree with the President’s interpretation of Article 80 of the constitution.
The Tunisian Workers’ Party, the Tunisian Republican Party, as well as the Tunisian Dignity Coalition also released statements either condemning or expressing concern towards the President’s actions.
Tunisian President Kais Saied said that he would use “extraordinary constitutional powers” on the grounds of “preventing the country from being dragged into a civil war” after a meeting with the security bureaucracy and the commanding staff in the evening of July 25.
The President announced that he dismissed Prime Minister Mechichi, suspended the work of the parliament for 30 days, and announced that he will appoint a new prime minister and attach the executive to him.
The leader of the Ennahda Movement, Rached Ghannouchi, who called the people to a peaceful struggle upon the decisions of President Saied, emphasized that this step, which had no legal basis, was a “coup d’etat.”
