Tunisia’s Saied holds referendum, critics fear for democracy

By Tarek Amara and Angus McDowall

TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisians voted on Monday on a brand new structure which critics of President Kais Saied concern will dismantle the democratic positive aspects of the 2011 revolution by handing him almost complete energy.

The divided opposition urged a boycott, calling Saied’s strikes a coup that dangers flinging Tunisia again into the autocratic period from earlier than the revolution and placing the ultimate nail into the coffin of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

The electoral fee mentioned 13.6% of voters had taken half by 1430 GMT, 9 and a half hours into the 16-hour voting interval. Nevertheless, with extremely popular climate that means a attainable surge in night voting, it was not clear what the determine meant for the eventual turnout.

The brand new structure shifts energy again to the presidency and away from parliament, which for years has been synonymous with political paralysis, and the place an Islamist occasion, Ennahda, has been the most important faction for the reason that revolution.

Casting his vote, Saied hailed the referendum as the inspiration of a brand new republic, a yr to the day after he ousted an elected parliament, established emergency rule and commenced governing by decree.

Western democracies that appeared to Tunisia as the one success story of the Arab Spring have but to touch upon the proposed new structure, though they’ve urged Tunis over the previous yr to return to the democratic path.

“I am annoyed by all of them. I would somewhat take pleasure in this scorching day than go and vote,” mentioned Samia, a girl sitting together with her husband and teenage son on the seaside at La Marsa close to Tunis.

Others voiced help for Saied.

Casting his vote on Rue Marseilles in downtown Tunis, Illyes Moujahed mentioned the previous legislation professor was the one hope.

“I am right here to avoid wasting Tunisia from collapse. To put it aside from years of corruption and failure,” mentioned Moujahed, first in line.

However the ambiance was muted within the run-up to the referendum, with solely small crowds attending rallies for and in opposition to the structure.

Standing exterior a restaurant within the capital, Samir Slimane mentioned he was not focused on voting. “I’ve no hope of change. Kais Saied is not going to change something. He solely seeks to have all of the powers,” he mentioned.

INFIGHTING

Many Tunisians welcomed Saied’s sudden seizure of energy final summer season as a corrective to years of political infighting and authorities failure by ruling factions. However he has performed little to deal with deepening financial hardship and Tunisia is looking for an IMF rescue package deal.

“To revive Tunisia and set up self-discipline we want a robust man who makes use of a stick,” mentioned Monzher Galaoui, a center aged man at a restaurant close to the polling station within the capital’s poor Ettadamon district.

Anaemic help for his structure might trigger issues for Saied, who has not constructed broad political alliances, and encourage his foes to contest his rule, mentioned Nadim Houry, government director of the Arab Reform Initiative.

“A low turnout will imply he’ll hit turbulence, particularly as Tunisia enters a summer season of discontent over the financial system.”

Critics of Saied already problem the vote’s legitimacy as a result of the structure was ready with out involving Tunisian political or civil society teams, and since there is no such thing as a minimal stage of participation to cross it.

His critics have additionally disputed the integrity of the vote after he unilaterally modified the electoral fee board this yr.

Of the three parliamentary elections and two presidential elections for the reason that revolution, the bottom turnout, of 41%, was in 2019 for the chamber dissolved by Saied.

Financial decline since 2011 has left many Tunisians indignant on the events which have ruled for the reason that revolution and disillusioned with the political system they ran.

To deal with financial privations, the federal government hopes to safe a $4 billion mortgage from the IMF, however faces stiff union opposition to the required reforms, together with cuts to gasoline and meals subsidies.

(Reporting by Tarek Amara and Angus McDowall; writing by Angus McDowall and Tom Perry; enhancing by Angus MacSwan and Mark Heinrich)