Tunisia’s opposition Popular Current called upon President Kais Saeid to announce a roadmap to save the country, stressing that removing the Islamist Ennahda Movement will end the constitutional crisis.
Popular Current Secretary-General, Zouheir Hamdi, remarked that the president has succeeded in disrupting the plans of Ennahda and “its mafia” allies.
Hamdi described Ennahda as the “greatest threat to the country and its strategic interests,” blaming the movement for the current situation in Tunisia.
The opposition is proposing a number of suggestions to resolve the political and constitutional crisis that has gripped the country for four months, including holding early elections, overthrowing the government of Hichem Mechichi, amending the constitution and reviewing the electoral law.
Hamdi proposed a roadmap that recommends removing the government and forming a transitional one, stressing that the people are not ready to return to the scenario of previous governments in terms of composition and programs.
The roadmap deals with major issues, such as debt, the central bank law, the relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the trade balance deficit, smuggling and tax evasion.
Hamdi called on Saeid to adopt the roadmap by launching consultations after the departure of Mechichi, and the dissolution of the parliament, whose speaker is Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the Ennahda Movement.
The consultations would discuss amending the constitution, changing the electoral law and submitting it for a referendum.
Meanwhile, Ennahda’s Shura Council warned against any action that undermines the values of the 2011 revolution, rejecting “unilateral rule” - a reference to Saied’s speech during the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the formation of the Internal Security Forces.
Saied had said that his constitutional control of the military extended to the internal security forces. The statement was seen as part of a wider power struggle between him, parliament and the prime minister.
The Shura asserted its support to the government, noting that the president’s obstruction of the ministerial reshuffle damaged the cabinet’s work and disrupted the state.
It called on the president and prime minister to take appropriate and practical steps to end the crisis.
The president should put the health and economic crisis at the top of the state's priorities and avoid individual interpretations of the constitution that disrupts the interests of the state and society, according to the council.
