Politics

Protests continue in Tunisia despite police clampdown. Will President Saied’s referendum hold?

Published

2 years ago

July 23, 2022

Tunisians continue to protest in mass against President Kais Saied power grab regime with more than 300 people reportedly gathered on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in central Tunis.

The protest comes barely days before a controversial vote on a new constitution. Hundreds of protesters marched on the streets of the Tunisian capital, Tunis, on Friday to protest against the president and the draft constitution.

Some demonstrators carried placards with slogans such as “the constitution will not pass” and “Said the dictator”. One of them said “We (the Tunisian people) have not written anything”, referring to Saied’s draft charter.

Leader of one of the oppositions parties, the Attayar party, Samia Abbou said “I’m worried for Tunisia. I was there for the presidents’ Kaïs Saïed power grab on July 25th . I was rooting for a positive change, so that we hold to account the thieves and mafia who have stolen the country. But after his power was reinforced on September 22nd, we saw his true nature. We saw that his problem wasn’t combatting the corrupt – and to this day nobody has been found guilty.”

Meanwhile, sources in the police said at least ten among the protesters have been arrested. The demonstrators have been met by a heavy police presence including water cannons and riot gear.

President Saied sacked the government, suspended parliament, and seized a string of powers in July 2021. In December of the same year, he announced in a speech on national television a three-month “popular consultation” with the Tunisian people after which “draft constitutional and other reforms will be put forward to a referendum on July 25”.

President Kais Saied had proposed a controversial national dialogue which was wildly criticized at home and abroad as it has sidelined political parties and critics of the.

Related Topics:Featured President Kais Saied Tunisia

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Politics

Mozambique’s top court affirms governing party’s victory in recent election

Published

1 day ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The highest court in Mozambique affirmed Monday that the incumbent Frelimo party won the October election, sparking widespread demonstrations from opposition parties who claim the vote was manipulated.

Fears of fresh bloodshed have been raised in the nation already shaken by weeks of fatal protests after Mozambique’s top electoral court mostly confirmed the results of the country’s contentious October elections, reinforcing the Frelimo party’s decades-long hold on power.

The final decision on the election process rests with the Constitutional Council. Mozambique, a nation of over 35 million people in Southern Africa that Frelimo has ruled since 1975, is expected to see more protests in response to its judgement.

Mozambique operates a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic in a multi-party system. The president of Mozambique serves as both the head of state and the head of government.

The government exercises executive power. The administration and the Assembly of the Republic have the authority to enact laws.

Politics

Alliance of Sahel States opposes ECOWAS disengagement schedule

Published

1 day ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) withdrawal timeline has been rejected by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which is made up of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

The AES claims that the ECOWAS is attempting to destabilise their newly formed organisation.

During a meeting last week in Abuja, Nigeria, the regional organisation announced a six-month withdrawal period to give the three nations time to change their minds after their official departure date at the end of January 2025.

However, this decision is “nothing more than yet another attempt by the French and its auxiliaries to continue planning and carrying out destabilising actions against the AES,” according to the heads of state of the AES.

“This unilateral decision is not binding on the ESA countries,” the statement continues. Before the conference, they stated that their choice to leave the organisation was “irreversible.”

According to the president of the Ecowas Commission, this will be a “transition period” that ends on “July 29, 2025” to “keep the doors of Ecowas open.”

The three nations accused the bloc of neglecting to assist them in resolving their domestic security challenges and of imposing “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions related to the coup.

The three nations that were involved in the coup have mostly rejected ECOWAS’ attempts to undo their withdrawal. They are creating their alliance and have begun thinking about how to issue travel passports independently of ECOWAS.

It is anticipated that they will finish giving their one-year notice of departure in January.

Visa-free travel to other ECOWAS members is a significant perk of membership, and it is unclear how this would alter after the three nations exit the group.