Tunisia's Ennahda calls for unifying efforts to confront 'coup'

By Alaa Hammoudi

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) – Tunisia’s Ennahda movement has renewed calls for rallying efforts to confront what it termed “coup” in the North African country.

"The existing authority headed by [President] Kais Saied is responsible for spoiling political life and turning the economic crisis into a catastrophe that threatens the people's livelihood," the movement said in a statement.

It called for restoring the "democratic path and preserving the Tunisian revolution's achievements of freedom, dignity and democracy.”

Last month, Saied set Dec. 17 for holding parliamentary elections in Tunisia along with amending the law governing the polls to allow voters to elect individuals instead of single party lists. The move, however, was decried by opponents as aiming to weaken the role and influence of political parties in the country.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis that aggravated the country's economic conditions since last year, when Saied ousted the government and dissolved parliament.

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

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar