The parliament of the north African country of Tunisia convened its first session after 20 months with the newly elected members.
These members were chosen in the elections held during December-January, with a voter turnout of 11%. This session was closed for all except state TV, news and radio agencies. It was reported that all independent or foreign journalists were exempted from entering the parliamentary building.
The country in recent times also witnessed mass-level protests organized by a coalition of opposition parties and different groups. The ever so active trade union UGTT also took part in these protests.
In 2021, the incumbent parliament took the move of shutting down the previously elected parliament, this move by the incumbent President Kais Saied is being regarded as a power grab and a coup by scholars across the globe.
WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE PARLIAMENTARY SESSION
The 2021 opening session was chaired by Saleh Mbarki, the oldest member of the parliament belonging to the Kabaria constituency and said that the goal of this government is to work hand in hand with the executive authority in order to maintain unity in the country.
These elections witnessed a very low voter turnout, this emboldened the majority of political parties to boycott the elections. Due to this mass-level boycott, most candidates contesting the elections couldn’t get party affiliation as a result of which most parliament members are political independents. According to the opposition parties, since most members are independent candidates, therefore, they won’t act as a check upon the powers of the executive.
Mr Ibrahim Bouderbala, the former president of the Bar Association has been elected as the new speaker for the parliamentary sessions.
POWERS OF THE NEWLY ELECTED PARLIAMENT
Source- The Indian Express
After a new constitution was drafted last year by President Kais Saied, the new parliament would no longer have the power to impeach the president. It will also not have any powers to hold the government accountable for any of its actions. Moreover, any bill introduced by the President will be a priority over any bill presented by any other lawmakers.
2021 Crises of Tunisia
On 25th July 2021, Tunisian President Kais Saied dissolved the Assembly of the Representatives of the People and declared the dismissal of the government.
Human rights organizations worldwide condemned this move and the foreign media began calling it a self-coup. This action from the President came after a chain of protests against the Ennahda-led governments began in the country.
People began protesting against the then government due to its inability to ease out economic difficulties faced by the people during the Pandemic. This protest was also an accumulated result of the government’s failure in providing basic-level healthcare facilities to its citizens during the pandemic time period.
The international community began viewing the action of the Tunisian president as an attack on democracy. In order to control these protests President Saied imposed a month-long curfew all across the country and further kept on extending it month by month.
By October the political instability further infuriated the citizens and the protests escalated and Najila Bouden was appointed as the new PM. She became the first female prime minister of Tunisia as well as the Arab World.
In February Kais Saied dissolved people placed at the topmost positions in the judiciary and announced that foreign funding for any civil society organizations was prohibited.
In September, Saied issued an order that granted him all the powers making him the supreme head. He gave himself sole-handedly the power to change the constitution and government including the dissolution of the Parliament.
The Tunisian armed forces have shown full support for the actions of the president, but the reactions of citizens have been mixed, some support the actions taken by the government whereas some oppose them.
The entire community, including Tunisia’s neighbors and several other international organizations and human rights organizations, have voiced concern at the Tunisian President’s conduct.
The international community looks forward to seeing changes in the political dynamics and diaspora of this West African country as a result of the establishment of this new parliament.