Politics

Tunisian activists pick holes in new Constitution as it establishes dictatorship under President Saied

Published

3 years ago

July 2, 2022

Tunisian activists have picked holes in the proposed constitution presented to President Kais Saied by a committee he had set up to come up with the draft.

The draft of the constitution which was published in Tunisia’s official gazette late on Thursday, will be voted on in a referendum on July 25, and if passed, will replace the 2014 constitution Saied discarded a year ago after dissolving the parliament.

While dissecting the new draft in debates on social media on Friday, majority of the activists said the new constitution would establish a dictatorship under Saied.

One of the most debated issues in the proposed constitution was the alleged use of ambiguous words in the terms and articles, with particular reference to the use of a word, Taghraa, which the activists claim refers to stamps used by former sultans and kings.

In the context of the new era, the activists claimed that Saied might be referring to ruling the country through presidential decrees.

The Tunisian activists are also worried that the text of the constitution gives Saied ultimate authority over the government and judiciary which stipulates that the government would answer to the president and not to parliament.

The new constitution also allows Saied to present draft laws, have sole responsibility for proposing treaties and drafting state budgets, appoint or sack government ministers and appoint judges.

The president would also serve two terms of five years each, but extend them if he feels there was an imminent danger to the state, and would have the right to dissolve parliament, while no clause allows for the removal of a president.

The proposed constitution also stipulates that the president would be the head of the armed forces and be charged with naming judges, who would be banned from striking, which the activists say would be dangerous to civil rule.

Another issue the activists did not find comfortable was in the first article of the document which removes references to both Islam and the civilian nature of Tunisia, and simply saying that the country is a free, independent and sovereign state.

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Politics

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

Published

1 month 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 month 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.