Following the resignation of the Prime Minister and the closure of Parliament, President Kaïs Saïed announced on Monday the resignation of the Minister of Defense. In the morning, conflicts erupted in Tunis between supporters of the leader of the Ennahdha party, which is the leader of the assembly, and those of the head of state.
In a brief statement posted on its Facebook page on Monday, the Tunisian presidency announced the dismissal of Defense Minister Ibrahim Bartaji and Government spokesman Hasna Ben Slimane, also acting Minister of Civil Administration and Justice. This announcement will come the next day suspension of Parliament’s work and dismissal of the Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi.
Earlier today, two camps faced each other in front of Parliament. On one side of the police barrier, supporters of the president claim that his decisions are legitimate. On the other hand, those from the Ennahdha party and its leader Rached Ghanouchi, who in turn condemn an attack on democracy and provoke a coup.
Stones were thrown, collisions took place, but the police managed to restore some calm, reports our correspondent in Tunis. Lilia blaise. The situation is still tense, many are waiting for an official decree to be published and for the president to follow up on his promises, especially by replacing the head of government he has fired.
Other rallies take place, such as in Tataouine, in the south of the country, the bastion of the Ennahdha party, where its supporters are contesting this takeover of Kaïs Saïed.
A long shutdown
This major institutional crisis had been brewing for several months. The relationship between Head of State Kaïs Saïed and the Speaker of Parliament, Rached Ghannouchi, has been summed up since 2019 in a lengthy suspension. On the one hand, a president who wants to be independent of the parties. On the other hand, the historical leader of the Islamist movement Ennahdha, the majority in the congregation. From the beginning, tandem has worked poorly.
The two men do not have the same interpretation of the constitution, a compromise constitution. But with a fragmented congregation that regularly turns into a rat, the search for compromise often leads to a dead end, which paralyzes public action in a country in the midst of a health and economic crisis.
On several occasions, Rached Ghannouchi assumed the powers of the Head of State. He took a stand on the Libyan issue while diplomacy falls under the President and Tunisia’s official strategy on this subject is neutrality.
In the midst of this settlement, a third man: the current Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, appointed by Kaïs Saïed, but who has come closer to Ennahdha. The two men had been in open conflict since January and the change proposed by Hichem Mechichi was rejected by the presidency.
Catastrophic health crisis
In addition to an institutional crisis, a political crisis, Tunisia is also experiencing a health crisis. After being criticized for handling the youth riots in January, former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi was fired at the top of the state for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. The country is hard hit. With 18,000 deaths for 12 million inhabitants, it is one of the worst deaths recorded in the world. Currently, between 150 and 200 Tunisians officially die of coronavirus every day and the public hospital is saturated.
Six days ago, the Minister of Health was fired after another failure in the vaccination campaign in connection with Eid. Chronic political blockages and the deteriorating health situation led to this outrage and calls for demonstrations on Sunday, Republic Day in Tunisia.
Consistent calls from Chancellor to avoid “violence”
International reactions increased during the day. On Monday, the United States called on “all parties” involved in the political crisis in Tunisia to “avoid all measures that (…) could lead to violence”, so as not to “waste” the fragile progress of the very young. , according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Ministry said it was “particularly concerned” about the media situation in Tunisia, following the closure without explanation or legal basis for the office of the Qatari channel Al-Jazeera in Tunis. Earlier, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki demanded respect for “democratic principles” in the country. But she did not comment on a possible qualification for the “coup”.
In France, the Foreign Affairs Spokesman called on “all political forces to avoid all forms of violence and to preserve democratic gains”. France “wants respect for the rule of law and to return as soon as possible to the normal functioning of the institutions, which must be able to concentrate on responding to the health, economic and social crisis”.
The European Union called for “respect for the constitution, the institutions and the rule of law” and “for the avoidance of violence”. In Germany, the Foreign Ministry said it was “very concerned”. “It is now important to return to constitutional order as soon as possible.” The events “pose a major challenge for Tunisia” and show “the urgency of tackling political and economic reforms now”.
In Russia, the Kremlin spokesman hoped that “nothing will threaten the stability and security of its citizens”.
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