coup in Tunisia

Tunisian President Kais Saied consolidated his grip on the judiciary on Sunday with a decree allowing him to remove judges or block their promotion, helping to consolidate his power after he seized executive power last summer in a move his enemies call a coup. Saied outraged his opponents and intimidated democratic foreign allies with his announcement last week that he was dissolving the Supreme Judicial Council, a body that guaranteed the independence of the judiciary. A former constitutional lawyer…

On Thursday, one of Tunisia's largest parties in parliament announced the formation of a temporary committee to deal with the country's political crisis. In a statement, Ennahdha said the new committee will be chaired by Mohamed Goumani, a member of the party's executive office. The statement added that the committee has jurisdiction and that its decision is binding on the party. The statement also said that the committee would look for solutions and understandings to avoid the worst for Tunisia and…

The Tunisian president on Monday issued presidential orders to dismiss and replace two more ministers, a week after the government was fired. According to a presidential statement, Ali al-Kaali, Minister of Economy, Finance and Investment Support, dismissed the order, appointing Siham al-Boughdiri as his successor. Mohamed el-Fadil Karim, Minister of Communications and also Acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, was also relieved of his duties and replaced by Nizar Bennaji.…

Tunisia should quickly return to its "democratic path," a White House official told President Kais Saied on Saturday, days after a coup that disrupted the country's parliament. In an hour-long conversation with Saied, President Joe Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan noted support for "Tunisian democracy based on fundamental rights, strong institutions and a commitment to the rule of law," according to a White House statement. According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), the call "focused…

In an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), Tunisia's parliamentary speaker Rached Ghannouchi has called for a return to democracy after President Kais Saied's shocking seizure of power over the weekend, the suspension of parliament and the dismissal of Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi. Ghannouchi, also the leader of one of the leading parties in parliament, Ennahdha, lamented the lack of dialogue with the presidency and warned that if no agreement is reached on the formation of a government and the…

In an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), Tunisia's parliamentary speaker Rached Ghannouchi has called for a return to democracy after President Kais Saied's shocking seizure of power over the weekend, the suspension of parliament and the dismissal of Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi. Ghannouchi, also the leader of one of the leading parties in parliament, Ennahdha, lamented the lack of dialogue with the presidency and warned that if no agreement is reached on the formation of a government and the…

The Tunisian president has fired more officials days after ousting parliament and ousting the prime minister, throwing the country into further political uncertainty and raising more questions about the rule of law. President Kais Saied fired parliament and fired Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi on Sunday. Just a day later, the defense and justice ministers were fired. Then on Tuesday, he fired several top officials, including the army's chief prosecutor. On Wednesday, the CEO of the national…

Tunisia's Ennahdha party has denied reports that its leader and parliamentary speaker Rached Ghannouchi has been placed under house arrest. Ennahdha "denies any false news circulating about the travel ban on Parliament Speaker and Party Leader Ghannouchi and places him under house arrest," the movement said in a statement. It confirmed that Ghannouchi "is currently holding a series of meetings." On Sunday, Tunisian President Kais Saied fired Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi's government, froze…

On Monday, most of Tunisia's political parties and parliamentary blocs blocked President Kais Saied's decision to suspend parliament and oust the government. On Sunday, Saied fired Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, froze parliament and adopted the executive with the help of a new prime minister. The Ennahdha Movement, which has 53 seats in parliament with 217 members, rejected Saied's move and considered them contrary to the Tunisian constitution. Rached Ghannouchi, head of Ennahdha and speaker of the…

Tunisia's parliamentary speaker Rached Ghannouchi said on Monday that the assembly was in session and reiterated the rejection of President Kais Saied's decision to suspend parliament. On Sunday, Tunisian President Kais Saied fired Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi's government, froze parliament and adopted the executive with the help of a new prime minister. "The Tunisian parliament is in session and we are following the legitimacy and rejecting the coup," Ghannouchi, the leader of the moderate Islamist…