Tunisians protest to demand return to democracy

By Yosra Ounas

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) – Hundreds of Tunisians demonstrated in the capital Tunis on Saturday to demand the return to democracy.

Demonstrators waved banners condemning what they call “coup” by President Kais Saied during the rally, organized by the opposition National Salvation Front (NSF), according to an Anadolu Agency reporter.

Saturday’s protest comes a week before planned legislative elections on Dec. 17.

“The upcoming legislative elections are a farce and will be boycotted by the people and most political parties,” NSF chairman Ahmed Najib Chebbi told the rally.

He argued that the polls will be conducted “under a law designed by Saied and will be supervised by an electoral commission that is not independent.”

There was no comment from the Tunisian authorities on the protest.

The NSF is a major opposition coalition in Tunisia that consists of five parties -- Ennahda Movement, Heart of Tunisia Party, the Dignity Coalition, the Movement Party and Al-Amal Party.

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