Hundreds of Tunisians protested on Saturday against President Kais Saied a week before elections to a new parliament created by his constitutional changes, accusing him of an undemocratic coup. Saied shut down the previous parliament last year and ruled by decree before rewriting the constitution this year to give the presidency more powers, moves rejected by most political parties. Tunisians had grown increasingly frustrated over recent years at economic stagnation and political paralysis, with a divided parliament and unstable government. Elections will be held on Dec. 17 for a new, less powerful parliament created by Saied's constitution, which was passed through a referendum in July with low turnout. Speakers at the protest including senior politicians from parties opposing Saied said the election was illegitimate and urged a boycott.

Source: Ethiopian News December 10, 2022 20:19 UTC