Tunisia to Form Committee to Write 'New Republic' Constitution

Tunisian President Kais Saied (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Tunisian President Kais Saied (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Tunisia to Form Committee to Write 'New Republic' Constitution

Tunisian President Kais Saied (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Tunisian President Kais Saied (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Tunisian President Kais Saied announced Sunday the formation of a committee to draft a constitution for a “New Republic”, saying it will conclude its work within a few days.

In a televised speech, Saied added that the national dialogue on reforms will include four main organizations, referring to the General Labor Union (UGTT), the lawyers’ union, the Federation of Industry and trade and the Tunisian League of Human Rights.

He said that those who supported the measures he took last July can participate in the dialogue, while "traitors and non-nationalists" will not participate.

Saied had suspended the parliament on July 25 and then dissolved it, a move that his rivals described as a coup.

The Labor Union called on Saied to "immediately initiate" a national dialogue, saying it is the last chance to overcome the economic and political crisis.

UGTT Secretary-General Noureddine Taboubi warned in a speech on the occasion of Labor Day that “the current state of ambiguity and exclusivity” could exacerbate the situation leading to a state of collapse, according to “al-Shaab” newspaper.



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.