Tunisian party accuses president of ‘involving external powers' in country's affairs

By Suad al-Jalasi

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) - A political party leader in Tunisia accused the country's President Kais Saied of “involving external powers” in the country’s internal affairs.

In a joint press conference with officials of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, Khalil Zaouia, head of the Ettakatol Party, said: "Saied, in his last phone call with [French President Emmanuel] Macron, spoke about the political discords in Tunisia, involving a foreign party.”

Zaouia was referring to the phone call on Saturday with Macron in which Saied told the French president that "those who present themselves as victims of tyranny are the ones who want to return to it (tyranny) and are even conspiring against their country."

"We have never seen a president accusing political opponents and opposition politicians of spying and receiving money to implement tendentious policies against the Tunisian state, which is totally unacceptable," he said.

There was no comment from the Tunisian authorities.

On July 25, 2021, Saied ousted the government, suspended parliament, and assumed executive authority.

While he insists that his "exceptional measures" are meant to "save" the country, critics have accused him of orchestrating a coup.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar​​​​​​​