Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Tunisia’s capital to demonstrate against the president. Parallel demonstrations by political movements who are deeply opposed to each other were held in Tunis.
Both groups denounced Kais Saied as an autocrat who is reversing the democratic progress made since the 2011 uprising. They also demanded accountability for the country’s economic crisis which has seen food and fuel shortages.
Critics of Mr Saied accuse him of staging a coup and attempting to turn Tunisia back into an autocracy – a system of government run by one person with absolute power.
After sacking the prime minister and suspending parliament in July 2021, a year later Mr Saied pushed through a constitution enshrining his one-man rule after a vote boycotted by the main opposition parties.
The new constitution replaced one drafted in three years after the Arab Spring in 2011 which saw Tunisia overthrow late dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
It gave the head of state full executive control, supreme command of the army and the ability to appoint a government without parliamentary approval.
Credit: bbc.com
