Tunisia’s president warns parliament over planned sessions

By Alaa Hammoudi

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) - Tunisian President Kais Saied has warned the country’s suspended parliament against convening this week.

On Monday, the parliament said it will hold two full sessions this week to “revoke” measures taken by Saied and to discuss conditions in the North African country.

“Compromising with the country’s unity is a threat to the security of Tunisia and the Tunisian people,” Saied said in a video posted by the Tunisian Presidency.

“The State and laws are in place and there is no way to affront them,” he added following a meeting of the National Security Council.

On Monday, the suspended parliament held a session by video conference to set a plan for the assembly’s work, in a move decried by the Tunisian president as “illegal”.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since July 25, 2021 when Saied dismissed the government, suspended the parliament, and assumed executive authority, in a move decried by opponents as a “coup.”

Tunisia has been seen as the only country that succeeded in carrying out a democratic transition among Arab countries which witnessed popular revolutions toppling ruling regimes, including Egypt, Libya, and Yemen.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara