Tunisia president dismisses prime minister and suspends parliament

Tunisian president Kais Saied has suspended parliament and dismissed prime minister Hichem Mechichi after a day of protests against the ruling party brought the country’s political crisis to a head.

Cheering crowds quickly flooded the streets of the capital Tunis after Saied’s announcement on Sunday, celebrating and honking car horns in scenes that recalled the 2011 revolution that brought democracy and triggered the Arab spring protests that convulsed the Middle East.

Protests over police violence spread through Tunisian capital Read more Cheering crowds in Tunis. Photograph: Fethi Belaid/AFP/Getty Images

However, the parliamentary speaker, Rached Ghannouchi, decried the moves as a coup and an assault on democracy.

In the early hours of Monday, Ghannouchi, who is also head of the biggest party in parliament, the Islamist-inspired Ennahda, arrived at parliament where he said he would call a session in defiance of Saied.

But the army was stationed outside the building and stopped the 80-year-old former political exile from entering.

“I am against gathering all powers in the hands of one person,” he said outside the parliament building. He earlier called Tunisians to come onto the streets, as they had done on the day of the revolution in 2011, to oppose the move.

Dozens of Ennahda supporters faced off against Saied supporters near the parliament building, exchanging insults as the police held them apart, televised pictures afterwards showed.

TUNISIA: Crowds take to streets in Tunis tonight to celebrate President decision of dismissing Gov. , firing PM & freezing parliament.

Major political upheaval. Islamist Opposition calling it a “coup”, reports on airport & borders closures: pic.twitter.com/HSdsf1tKXU

State television earlier showed pictures of Saied joining the crowds in the street in central Tunis early on Monday as they celebrated his decision to oust the government

“We have been relieved of them,” said Lamia Meftahi, a woman joining in the revellry.
“This is the happiest moment since the revolution.”

The extent of support for the Saied’s moves against Mechichi’s fragile government and divided parliament was not clear. Saied warned against any violent response.

“I warn any who think of resorting to weapons... and whoever shoots a bullet, the armed forces will respond with bullets,” he said in a statement carried on television.

During the day on Sunday, thousands of Tunisians had marched in several cities protesting against the ruling party which they accused of economic mismanagement, corruption and failure to prevent crippling rates of coronavirus infections.

Tunisia’s president declares the end of democracy. Is the Arab spring is finally over and the Tunisian exception is undone?

pic.twitter.com/JDPzxbAPeR

Hundreds of protesters had gathered in front of parliament in Tunis, shouting slogans against Ennahdha and Mechichi.

Protests were also reported in the towns of Gafsa, Kairouan, Monastir, Sousse and Tozeur.

“The people want the dissolution of parliament,” the crowd chanted.

Several protesters were arrested and a journalist was injured when the crowd hurled stones and police fired teargas canisters.

Saied said in his statement that his actions were in line with the constitution, and cited article 80 to suspend the immunity of members of parliament.

“The constitution does not allow for the dissolution of parliament, but it does allow for its work to be suspended,” the president said, citing Article 80 which permits such a measure in case of “imminent danger”.

“Many people were deceived by hypocrisy, treachery and robbery of the rights of the people,” he said.

Saied said he would take over executive power “with the help” of a government headed by a new chief appointed by the president himself.

Saied, an independent without a party behind him, swore to overhaul a complex political system plagued by corruption. The most recent election delivered a fragmented chamber in which no party held more than a quarter of seats.

Tunisia has been overwhelmed by Covid-19 cases, including more than 18,000 people who have died in a country of around 12 million.

Despite a decade passing since the revolution which overthrew dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia remains prone to chronic political turmoil that has stymied efforts to revive crumbling public services.

The country’s fractious political class has been unable to form lasting, effective governments. Ennahda, which was banned before the revolution, has been the most consistently successful party since then and a member of successive coalition governments.

Since Saied was elected president in 2019, he has been locked in a showdown with Mechichi and Ghannouchi.

Their rivalry has blocked ministerial appointments and diverted resources away from tackling Tunisia’s many economic and social problems