Enlarge image
Demonstrators in Tunis: "The people demand the dissolution of parliament"
Photo: Hassene Dridi / AP
The political crisis in Tunisia has reached a new high point.
President Kais Saied dismissed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi on Sunday and ordered parliament to stop its work.
MEPs' immunity would be lifted, said the president of the North African country and threatened the army with deployment in the event of violent resistance.
While Saied declared that his orders were in line with the constitution, President Rached Ghannouchi spoke of a coup d'état in an initial response.
The president's decision was preceded by violent protests in several cities across the country.
In the capital Tunis, hundreds of people gathered in front of parliament and accused the ruling Ennahdha party and the prime minister of failing in the fight against the rising number of corona infections.
"The people demand the dissolution of parliament," chanted the crowd.
Corona cases are currently increasing massively in the country, and there are few opportunities to ventilate patients in hospitals.
So far, more than 18,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the twelve million population.
Given the situation, many Tunisians are angry about the bickering between the parties in parliament and the power struggle between the President of Parliament, who is also the chairman of Ennahdha, and President Saïed.
Tunisia is the only country that emerged as a democracy from the Arab Spring.
Ten years ago, the autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown after around 25 years of rule.
However, there is dissatisfaction among the population because the gap between rich and poor is wide.
ime / Reuters / AFP