Tunisia’s President has published the draft constitution in the government’s official gazette on 20th June, which reflects more Presidential powers limiting the role of the Parliament. The proposed constitution will be put to a referendum on 25 July.
Tunisia’s President has published the draft constitution in the government’s official gazette on 20th June, which reflects more Presidential powers limiting the role of the Parliament. The proposed constitution will be put to a referendum on 25 July.
The new constitution was drafted by a committee handpicked by Saied. If implemented, it would expand the president’s executive powers than the prime minister. It suggests establishment of a two-chamber parliamentary system for the first time and gives the President ultimate control of the judiciary and army as well as the government. The President could serve two terms of five years each but can be extended if he felt the state was in imminent danger.
No minimum level of participation for the constitution to be validated through referendum has been specified. Though online ‘consultation’ was offered by Saied from January-March for drafting the constitution, the participation was dismal.
Kais Saied suspended the parliament last year and since then has ruled by decree. He sacked his government after brushing aside the democratic constitution ushered in through the Arab Spring protests in 2014.
Denouncing his acts as autocratic, opposition parties have called for boycott of the referendum. Tunisia has been slipping into economic crisis causing salary delays and the risk of shortages of key subsidised goods.
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