The Covid-19 pandemic plunges Tunisia into chaos: thousands have taken to the streets against the government, President Kais Saied has imposed the resignation of the premier, Hicham Mechichi, and has frozen Parliament for 30 days. The management of the economy and the epidemic are under accusation. There have been clashes and arrests but a part of the political class denounces the coup: “It is a coup against the revolution,” accused the moderate Islamist party Ennahda.
Despite the curfew, imposed between 20:00 local time and 5:00, and the restrictions of the health emergency that prohibit any kind of public demonstration, the capital experienced a festive atmosphere during the night: thousands of cars and ordinary citizens they celebrated under the gaze of the police until late at night. At one point, the president also joined the demonstrators. For several days, appeals to take to the streets have been circulating on Facebook, by unidentified groups: the ruling parties and in particular the Islamist Ennahda formation, whose offices had been targeted, were contested. The demonstrators demanded a change to the constitution and a transition period run by the army, while keeping Saied as head of state.
This morning the army that is presiding over the building where the Tunisian Parliament is located has denied access to the Speaker, Rached Ghannouchi, who presented himself at the entrance accompanied by the Vice President, Samira Chaouachi, the former Minister of Justice Noureddine Bhiri and the deputies of the Islamist parties Ennahdha and Al Karama. Ghannouchi accused the president of having carried out a “coup against the revolution and the Constitution” and called on the people to “defend the revolution”.
The rumors of a plan to overthrow the Tunisian government and give the president, Kais Saied, full control of the institutions, dates back to last May. On May 24, the Middle East Eye specialized portal had come into possession of a document dated May 13 and labeled as “absolutely top secret” which contained in detail the plan with which Saied, an independent with no party behind him, intended to take power , applying Chapter 80 of the Constitution, which allows him to take power in the event of a national emergency.
Tunisia began its democratic transition in 2011 with the so-called “Jasmine Revolution”, which put an end to two decades of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s dictatorship: ten years in total have succeeded ten governments that have further aggravated the situation economic and social crisis. Saied promised to heal the complex political system deteriorated by corruption. The last election had produced a parliament in which no party held more than a quarter of the seats. Now the pandemic has precipitated the situation. Cases have risen sharply in recent weeks, putting further pressure on the already faltering economy. The premier had sacked the minister of health last week, but this obviously was not enough to appease the anger.