Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed the country’s Prime Minister and parliament in the early hours of Monday 26 July 2021 in a move that some critics, especially political opponents, have labelled a ‘coup’. A wave of rioting in several cities in Tunisia preceded Saïed’s announcement. These rallies took on a markedly anti-Islamist tone, with hundreds of thousands blaming Ennahda for years of corruption and government misconduct. However, the character of demonstrations changed to one of celebration among more middle-class Tunisians, especially in the capital Tunis after Saïed’s announcement.
Saïed’s actions follows months of political deadlock, after the most recent parliamentary elections failed to yield a majority, which was exacerbated by sharp criticisms of the country’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and strong corruption allegations tied to Islamist Ennahda Party. President Saied stated that the action was taken for “social peace… and until we can save the State”. Despite this, there were confirmed reports of military action to surround the Parliament, and the outlook for Tunisia remains uncertain given the sudden shift to executive control.
Yasmine Akirimi, the BIC’s North Africa Analyst said :
“Tunisia is venturing into uncharted waters. Saied’s decisions echo long-time popular demands, yet he is relying on a personal interpretation of article 80 of the 2014 constitution. Politically and socially, it has been a long time coming that people have been demanding a true challenge to the status quo. It is worth pointing that Tunisia is not a happy democracy that has been interrupted in a sudden coup. On the contrary, we Tunisians have been living in a democracy of façade. This sudden change in the political regime has to be closely monitored by Tunisians themselves, the only counter-power left.”
The BIC will be closely monitoring the situation as it develops and will issue a complete report soon.