As a law professor, Kais Saied preached strict adherence to the Constitution. As Tunisia’s president, he has bent it to his will. Will he save Tunisia’s democracy or destroy it?
Tag: Saied, Kais (1958- )
‘You Just Think About Eating’: Why Tunisians Backed a Presidential Power Grab
Dissatisfied by the government’s handling of the pandemic and the economy, some in this North African nation welcomed drastic action to change the political leadership.
Tunisia’s President Holds Forth on Freedoms After Seizing Power
“‘Why do you think that, at 67, I would start a career as a dictator?’” President Kais Saied said in a meeting with The New York Times, quoting Charles de Gaulle. He vowed to preserve hard-fought rights.
Why Tunisia’s Promise of Democracy Struggles to Bear Fruit
The revolution of 2011 ousted a dictator and set off the Arab Spring. But then the West overlooked the country’s economic problems, intent on creating a bulwark against Islamist extremism.
With Gatherings Banned Amid Turmoil, Tunisians Can Only Watch. And Wait.
Days after their president staged a power grab, threatening their young democracy, many Tunisians are banking on the hope that things cannot get much worse.
Tunisia’s Democracy Verges on Collapse as President Moves to Take Control
The effort by President Kais Saied threatened the only democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring protests a decade ago, and his opponents called it a coup.
Top Contender for Tunisia Presidency Freed From Jail, 4 Days Before Vote
Nabil Karoui, one of the two candidates in the runoff to become Tunisia’s president, was released after threatening to seek postponement of Sunday’s vote.
Tunisia Votes for a President as It Struggles to Build Democracy
Its economy is lagging and there are threats to its security, but Tunisia still managed to hold a free presidential election. That makes it a regional anomaly.