Status: 07/27/2022 01:29 am
Tunisia adopted the controversial new constitution with a large majority. 94.6 percent of the citizens voted for the draft – with a turnout of only 30.5 percent. Lawyers fear the formation of a dictatorial regime.
According to preliminary figures, Tunisia’s controversial new constitution was adopted by a majority of 94.6 percent in the referendum boycotted by the opposition. This was announced by the head of the Isie electoral authority, Farouk Bouasker.
Voter turnout was only 30.5 percent. According to Isie, 2.75 million voters cast their ballots. Despite the low turnout of not even a third of those entitled to vote, the constitution can come into force.
The introduction of a new constitution is part of one by President Kais Saied advanced political restructuring. The new constitution provides that the president can appoint and dismiss the government and judges, among other things. He should also have the power to dissolve Parliament.
Opposition fears authoritarian system
The opposition and non-governmental organizations fear that the North African country will return to an authoritarian system as a result of the constitutional changes.
Both the Islamist Ennahda party and the secular PDL party had called for a boycott of Monday’s referendum, calling it an “illegal process” without consultation.
The lawyer Sadok Belaïd, whom President Saïed had entrusted with drafting the constitution, distanced himself from the final version. He declared that it could “open the way to a dictatorial regime”.
The country is divided
A year ago, Saied had deposed the then head of government and forced Parliament to suspend its work. Eventually he dissolved Parliament altogether. The President also dismissed dozens of judges over alleged corruption.
The country has since been divided between supporters and opponents of these moves. It’s been happening again and again for months Protests for and against the President.
No supervisory authority for presidents
After the Arab uprisings of 2010, Tunisia was the only country in the region to successfully transition to democracy. However, the new constitution would destroy many democratic achievements.
The new constitution no longer provides for an authority that could control the president or even remove him from office. The constitutional referendum was therefore also seen as a decision on Saied’s previous leadership.