Coup fears grow as Tunisian president shores up power
President Kais Saied is facing a growing wave of opposition from civil society and political actors as he takes new powers and attempts to transform the political system.
TUNIS - Tunisian President Kais Saied's move to amass further power has heightened fears that a coup is underway in the young democracy and sparked strong opposition from party leaders and civil society.
On Sept. 22, Saied issued a presidential order that grants him sweeping executive and legislative powers, two months after he suspended parliament and ousted the government under emergency provisions.
The new measures shutter parliament indefinitely, abolish a key law-monitoring body, and disregard much of the country’s 2014 constitution, effectively allowing Saied to rule by decree until further notice.
Amna Guellali, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, told Al-Monitor that Saied’s actions are "a threat to human rights and the democratic process.”
