Does Kais Saied want to stabilize the shaky democracy of Tunisia?
Or is it a coup?
The situation remains confusing.
Tunis - Tunisia's President Kais Saied has defended the assumption of government against criticism and wants to maintain order in the country with a temporary ban on meetings and a curfew.
This should apply daily from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. until the end of August.
In addition, any public gathering of more than three people is prohibited.
The disempowered Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi announced that he would hand over his office to the successor designated by Saied.
Critics speak of a coup
Saied had surprisingly dropped Mechichi, who also ran the Interior Ministry, on Sunday evening.
He also lifted the immunity of all MPs and closed the parliament for an initial 30 days.
He also dismissed Defense Minister Ibrahim Bartagi and the incumbent Justice Minister Hasna Ben Slimane.
Critics, including the Islamic conservative Ennahda party, speak of a coup.
At a meeting with the influential associations and unions in Tunisia, Saied rejected this allegation.
The real danger is, among other things, the precarious economic situation and the slow-running vaccinations against the corona virus.
Fight against coronavirus
“Isn't the dissolution of the country an imminent threat?” Saied asked.
The former law professor has asserted that he is within the legal framework of the constitution.
Critics argue that he has exceeded his authority.
In the past few months, Tunisia had already imposed curfews several times in the fight against the virus.
Thousands of new infections are reported every day in the country of eleven million people.
About a third of all coronavirus tests are positive.
Around 19,000 people died in connection with Covid-19 in Tunisia.
International community concerned
The United Nations called on all concerned in Tunisia to exercise restraint. Turkey expressed "deeply concerned" about the lifting of parliamentary work. "Tunisia must not waste its progress on democratization," said US government spokeswoman Jen Psaki. The Foreign Office in Berlin also announced that it was observing developments in Tunisia “with concern”. The country must “quickly return to constitutional order”. dpa
