Tunisia has recently seen a rapid decline in social and economic conditions, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. In response, on July 25th, Tunisian President Kais Saied suspended the country’s democratically elected parliament, dismissed the government, named himself attorney general, and leveled threats against any opposition. Saied promises swift efforts to address corruption he claims is at the root of these issues; meanwhile, he enforces media silence and mandatory curfews to curtail any pushback. Some see his actions as necessary to pull the country out of its current socio-economic crisis, while others view it as yet another authoritarian power grab.
How are domestic actors staking out their positions regarding Kais Saied's actions, and what next steps can he take? What is the future of the parliament; will there be new elections, a new PM, or constitutional revisions? What role do outside actors play?
Speakers:
Fadil Aliriza
Non-resident scholar, MEI
Henda Fellah
Civil society activist
Eya Jrad
Researcher and assistant professor of Security Studies, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Tunisia
William Lawrence
Non-resident scholar, MEI
Intissar Fakir, moderator
Senior fellow and director, North Africa and the Sahel program, MEI
(Photo by Chedly Ben Ibrahim/NurPhoto via Getty Images)