Abu Dhabi, UAE CNN —Tunisian President Kais Saied’s almost two-week absence has raised questions about his health and succession in a country that has become increasingly authoritarian since he took power. “(The rumors) had reached a level of insanity that we haven’t seen in Tunisia before,” the president said, adding that talk of a power vacuum had ulterior motives. Asked by reporters about the president’s health, Tunisian Health Minister Ali Murrabit on Sunday walked away without commenting, according a video posted in local media. He decried the lack of a functioning system in place to ensure a smooth transfer of power should the president be incapacitated. There is currently no clear outline of how Tunisia would transfer power, even temporarily, should the president become incapacitated, analysts say.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 05, 2023 17:13 UTC