Politics

Tunisia’s new draft constitution gives President Saied broad powers termed ‘presidentialisation’

Published

2 years ago

July 1, 2022

The newly drafted constitution which Tunisian President Kais Saied commissioned after discarding the old one has given him the wide-ranging powers he has always wanted.

The new draft which gives broad powers to the head of state, marking a radical break with the existing parliamentary system, was handed over to Saied on Thursday and will be put to a referendum on July 25.

The text of the constitution which was published in the Tunisian government official gazette, confirms what the opposition calls the expected ‘presidentialization’ of the regime by stipulating that the “President of the Republic exercises executive power, assisted by a government led by a head of government” whom he appoints.

The president, according to the published draft, “will also enjoy wide-ranging prerogatives as he is the supreme commander of the armed forces, defines the general policy of the state, approves laws, has the sole prerogative of submitting legislation to parliament, which must examine it as a matter of priority.

The new constitution is to replace the 2014 constitution which had established a hybrid system that was a source of recurring conflict between the executive and legislative branches.

As a prelude to setting up the Committee to write a new constitution for the country, Saied had dissolved the parliament and the electoral commission earlier this year and named a new body in which he made himself the head which the opposition said was a coup and a plan to run a one-man rule.

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

4 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.