After limping the Prime Minister and frozen the activities of Parliament on July 25, the Head of State promises a return to “national dialogue”.
Le Monde with AFP
Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed assured “preparing the exit” of the exceptional state in force since July 25, during a telephone conversation with the leader of American diplomacy Antony Blinken, said Sunday, November 21 The Tunisian Presidency.
Tunisia “prepares the next” political steps in order to “get out of the exceptional situation” in which the country is located, assured Mr. Saïed to Antony Blinken Saturday night, stressing “his will” to bring back the country to a “Normal situation”.
On July 25, the president had surprised the world by liming the Prime Minister, gefully by Parliament’s activities and taking control of the judiciary. He then promulgated a decree formalizing the suspension of certain chapters of the Constitution and introducing “exceptional measures”, the time to carry out “political reforms”.
m. Said, who did not make mystery of his desire to introduce a presidential political system, wants to approve the constitutional changes by referendum, before any new parliamentary ballot.
“Congress of power”
He justified his decisions by a “imminent danger” linked to political blockages and the deep socio-economic and health crisis in which Tunisia was in July. His detractors, however, denounce a “coup d’état” and “an accapaneous power”.
M. BLINKEN, Mr. Saïed explained to have acted in the face of a Tunisian parliament that had been “transformed into the theater of clashes” where “the work has been disturbed repeatedly by verbal and physical violence.” He also pointed out that economic and social difficulties are “the essential problem” of Tunisia.
The unemployment rate now reaches 18.4% and the country, the growth of which remains low (3 to 4% planned for 2021), recently requested the IMF a new help of nearly $ 4 billion (3, 3 billion euros).
This amount corresponds to the deficit for 2021 (9.8 billion dinars), that Tunisia intends to fill through bond issues and with the help of foreign donors including brothers and Saudi Arabia and the Arab Emirates United, already solicited, for the moment without success.
“National dialogue”
In a tweet, Mr. Blinken confirmed having discussed with Mr. Saïed “recent events and government initiatives” in Tunisia, alluding according to a statement by the US State Department, to the formation of the government at mid-government October and measures envisaged to face economic difficulties.
m. Blinken said they “encouraged” the president to engage in “a process of transparent and inclusive reforms to deal with the important political, economic and social challenges of Tunisia”.
Many international and Tunisian NGOs, as well as the European Union, called the Head of State to restore the democratic process, starting discussions with the opposition and reopening Parliament.
The Chairman assured Thursday in the Council of Ministers to put the final hand to a process of “national dialogue” mainly involving young people, and associating political parties and the powerful Central Trade Union UGTT.