Protests Continue against Tunisian President’s Decisions

Arab World

December 19th, 10:07am

Tunis - Asharq Al-Awsat

Demonstrations against the decisions of President Kais Saied in the center of the capital on Friday. AP

Tunisian demonstrators gathered in Habib Bourguiba Avenue for the second day in a row to protest against President Kais Saied's decisions, demanding to abolish the extraordinary measures, lift the suspension of the parliament, and put the constitution back into effect. The protesters who call themselves "Citizens Against the Coup" flocked into the streets on Friday to express their rejection of Tunisia's President Kais Saied’s plans. The police banned them from setting tents, yet some of them stayed overnight in the open air. Activist Jawhar Bin Mubarak said the sit-in will continue until ending the coup. The protesters chanted slogans against the president and expressed the will to stay in the street until Jan.14, the date when Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted. On Monday, Saied extended his suspension of parliament until next year. He also suspended several articles in the constitution and issued a presidential order that grants him more authority to rule the country. The president justified his decisions with the spread of corruption and chaos in the institutions. In one of his speeches, he stated that he is putting the revolution back on the right track. Saied’s decisions raised the opposition’s concerns of a possible collapse of the transitional democracy. For its part, the Islamic Renaissance Movement called for an escalation in the "civil struggle" against the president’s decisions and plans to reform the political system.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3367511/protests-continue-against-tunisian-president%E2%80%99s-decisions