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In Pictures

Gallery|Politics

In Pictures: Tunisians rally to denounce Saied’s power grab

The president in late July sacked the prime minister, suspended parliament and granted himself judicial powers.

Hundreds of police had blocked off the area where thousands of protesters were gathering on Sunday to demand that Saied restore the parliament and normal democratic rule. [Mohamed Messara/EPA]
Published On 14 Nov 202114 Nov 2021
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Tunisians have gathered near the country’s parliament to protest against a presidential power grab they have denounced as a “coup”.

Sunday’s rally in Tunis was the latest opposing President Kais Saied’s July 25 decision to sack the government, suspend parliament and seize an array of powers, citing an “imminent threat” to the country.

“The people want to bring down the coup d’etat,” protesters chanted as they pulled down barriers obstructing the roads leading to the parliament building at the capital’s Bardo palace, leading to clashes with security forces.

Some demonstrators also carried signs reading, “No to the intimidation of the media” and demanding “an independent judicial authority”.

On September 22, Saied also suspended parts of the constitution and installed rule by decree, maintaining full control of the judiciary as well as powers to sack ministers and issue laws.

He appointed a new government in October, with Najla Bouden as the country’s first female prime minister. But the president has significantly pared back the powers of her office and will technically head the administration himself.

Saied, who was elected in late 2019, made his shock move amid a socioeconomic crisis aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of his opponents have accused him of seeking a new dictatorship, a decade after Tunisia’s 2011 revolt that overthrew longtime ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. But the president’s supporters say his moves were needed after years of deadlock among political parties seen as corrupt and self-serving.

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Increasingly vocal opposition, along with a looming crisis in public finances, may pose a new test of how Saied and the new government he has appointed will tackle threats to their authority. [Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters]
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Saied sacked the prime minister, suspended parliament and granted himself judicial powers in a July 25 power grab that opponents have termed a coup. [Fethi Belaid/AFP]
“We are under one-man rule since July 25 … we will stay here until they open the roads and end the siege,” said Jawher Ben Mbarek, a protest leader. [Nacer Talel/Anadolu/Getty Images]
Protesters shout slogans during the demonstration in Tunis. [Mohamed Messara/EPA-EFE/EPA]
The president said his actions were needed to end governmental paralysis after years of political squabbling and economic stagnation, and has promised to uphold rights and freedoms won in the 2011 revolution that brought democracy. [Fethi Belaid/AFP]
Tunisian demonstrators scuffle with security forces during the demonstration in front of the parliament. [Mohamed Messara/EPA]
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Journalist Elizia Volkmann, reporting from the protests near parliament, said the police have 'completely blocked' the area around the building and have established checkpoints but that there is still a 'slow and steady stream' of people seeking to join the demonstrations. [Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters]
Sunday’s protest followed clashes last week between police and protesters in the southern town of Agareb in which one person was killed. [Fethi Belaid/AFP]
'Shut down Kais Saied' and 'Freedom! Freedom! End the police state!' protesters chanted. [Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters]


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