Amid a political crisis, the first session of Tunisia’s national dialogue invited by President Kais Saied kicked off on Saturday.
Representatives of the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), National Union of Tunisian Women (UNFT) and the Tunisian Human Rights League NGO, along with four political parties, including the People’s Movement and the Popular Current attended Saturday’s session.
However, the country’s main parties, including Ennahda, Social Democratic Path Party and Afek Tounes Party as well as Tunisia’s powerful UGTT labor union, boycotted the dialogue.
Participants will focus on finalizing the calendar of the next meetings, which are issues that will be discussed in conjunction with the economic and social aspects, during the first session.
Since July 25, 2021, when Saied dismissed the government, suspended parliament, and assumed executive authority, in a move decried by opponents as a “coup,” Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis.
After lawmakers held a session to revoke his measures, Saied dissolved the parliament in March.
