عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Tunisia to Form Committee to Write 'New Republic' Constitution

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

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.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

EU’s Kallas Says She Hopes for Political Agreement on Easing Syria Sanctions

In this photograph taken on January 12, 2025, a vendor waits for customers at her mobile shop in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital. (AFP)
In this photograph taken on January 12, 2025, a vendor waits for customers at her mobile shop in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital. (AFP)
TT
TT

EU’s Kallas Says She Hopes for Political Agreement on Easing Syria Sanctions

In this photograph taken on January 12, 2025, a vendor waits for customers at her mobile shop in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital. (AFP)
In this photograph taken on January 12, 2025, a vendor waits for customers at her mobile shop in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital. (AFP)

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday she hopes a political agreement on easing Syria sanctions can be reached at a gathering of European ministers next week.

EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Syria during a meeting in Brussels on Jan. 27.

European officials began rethinking their approach towards Syria after Bashar al-Assad was ousted as president by opposition forces led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which the United Nations designates as a terrorist group.

Some European capitals want to move quickly to suspend economic sanctions in a signal of support for the transition in Damascus. Others have sought to ensure that even if some sanctions are eased, Brussels retains leverage in its relationship with the new Syrian authorities.

“We are ready to do step-for-step approach and also to discuss what is the fallback position,” Kallas told Reuters in an interview.

“If we see that the developments are going in the wrong direction, then we are also willing to put them back,” she added.

Six EU member states called this month for the bloc to temporarily suspend sanctions on Syria in areas such as transport, energy and banking.

Current EU sanctions include a ban on Syrian oil imports and a freeze on any Syrian central bank assets in Europe.