Tunisian Govt Defies Saied, to Go ahead with Election of Constitutional Court Members

President Kais Saied. (AP file photo)
President Kais Saied. (AP file photo)
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Tunisian Govt Defies Saied, to Go ahead with Election of Constitutional Court Members

President Kais Saied. (AP file photo)
President Kais Saied. (AP file photo)

Statements by members of the Ennahda movement and Heart of Tunisia Party have confirmed that the ruling coalition was in agreement over the parliament’s election of members of the Constitutional Court on Thursday.

The statements demonstrate their dismissal of President Kais Saied’s rejection of the amendments that have been introduced to the election of the members. He has returned the draft amendments to parliament for revision and it should be up to a new vote.

Observers believe that the position will only heighten tensions between the president and government.

Some members of the ruling coalition have already accused him of obstructing political work in the country.

The Ennahda’s parliamentary bloc had met last week and stressed the need to complete the election of the 12 members of the Court.

One member has already been elected. A parliament session will be held on Thursday to appoint three members. The remaining members will be elected by the president and higher judicial council, who each name four.

Ennahda has urged greater agreement among the various blocs over the candidates, while also renewing its support to the government, led by Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi.

Ennahda MP Emad al-Khamiri said the movement was determined to elect the three members of the Court.

He criticized Saied’s rejection of the amendments, saying it is as if he is claiming that the Constitutional Court was no longer necessary, while it is in fact key to building democracy.

Separately, former President Moncef Marzouki proposed holding early parliamentary and presidential elections, saying it could help end the political impasse in the country.

“This step may be risky, but it could give way to some hope,” he remarked.

Moreover, he said the stalemate will only lead to the further fragmentation of the state, especially amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and growing poverty.



Netanyahu Says Israel Is Establishing a New Security Corridor across Gaza

An internally displaced Palestinian walks at the site of a UN clinic following an Israeli airstrike, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2025. (EPA)
An internally displaced Palestinian walks at the site of a UN clinic following an Israeli airstrike, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2025. (EPA)
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Netanyahu Says Israel Is Establishing a New Security Corridor across Gaza

An internally displaced Palestinian walks at the site of a UN clinic following an Israeli airstrike, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2025. (EPA)
An internally displaced Palestinian walks at the site of a UN clinic following an Israeli airstrike, in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, 02 April 2025. (EPA)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is establishing a new security corridor across the Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Wednesday, he described it as the Morag corridor, using the name of a Jewish settlement that once stood between Rafah and Khan Younis, suggesting it would run between the two southern cities.

His comments came as Palestinian officials at hospitals inside Gaza said Israeli strikes overnight and into Wednesday had killed more than 40 people, nearly a dozen of them children.

The Israeli government has long maintained a buffer zone just inside Gaza along its security fence and has greatly expanded since the war against Hamas began in 2023. Israel says the buffer zone is needed for its security, while Palestinians view it as a land grab that further shrinks the narrow coastal territory, home to around 2 million people.