TUNIS: Tunisian police have arrested former prime minister Ali Larayedh, his far-right Ennahdha party said Tuesday, accusing authorities of trying to divert attention from calls for President Kais Saied to quit. The arrest of the Ennahdha number two comes just days after nearly 90 percent of voters boycotted an election to a toothless new parliament established by Saied following his seizure of sweeping powers in 2021. Ennahdha, which like almost all Tunisian parties boycotted the vote, accused Saied’s government of “systematically targeting” its leadership. Chebbi’s National Salvation Front, which includes Ennahdha, had said the slim election turnout should be a cue for Saied to step down. But Saied hit back at his critics Monday, noting that some of them had criminal charges hanging over them, a veiled reference to investigations into Ennahdha officials.

Source: Libya Today December 20, 2022 12:55 UTC