By Tarek Amara and Angus McDowall
TUNIS -Tunisians started voting on Monday in a referendum on a brand new structure that critics of President Kais Saied concern will dismantle the democracy that emerged from a 2011 revolution by handing him practically complete energy.
The vote is being held on the primary anniversary of Saied’s ousting of an elected parliament, when he established emergency rule and started governing by fiat.
Tunisia’s divided opposition events have referred to as his strikes a coup that dangers flinging Tunisia again into the autocratic period from earlier than the revolution and placing the ultimate nail into the coffin of the 2011 “Arab Spring” uprisings.
However amid an financial disaster and deepening hardship, there was little in the way in which of protest towards Saied, whose energy seize final yr was welcomed by many Tunisians who had been fed up with political bickering and authorities failure.
It's not clear when the outcomes can be introduced after polls shut at 2100 GMT. However with little obvious enthusiasm for the vote and a boycott by main events, analysts count on a “sure” vote with a low turnout.
As voting bought underway, few folks had been out within the humid early morning streets. However at Rue Marseilles polling station in downtown Tunis, Illyes Moujahed was first in line, saying Saied was the one hope.
“I’m right here to save lots of Tunisia from collapse. To reserve it from years of corruption and failure,” he mentioned.
Standing exterior a restaurant within the capital, Samir Slimane mentioned he was not desirous about voting. “I've no hope of change. Kais Saied is not going to change something. He solely seeks to have all of the powers,” he mentioned.
Beneath guidelines set by Saied, no minimal degree of participation among the many 9.2 million registered voters is required to approve the structure. He has solely stipulated that the structure will come into impact as soon as the ultimate outcomes are revealed, and has not mentioned what occurs if voters reject it.
Saied has hailed his modifications as the inspiration of a brand new republic to place the revolution again on target and finish years of political sclerosis and financial stagnation.
“We are going to set up a brand new republic, not just like the one of many previous 10 black years… We would like a state of regulation. The folks can have the final phrase,” Saied mentioned after voting.
Elected in 2019, Saied has mentioned freedoms can be protected.
DISUNITY
The brand new structure shifts energy again to the presidency and away from parliament, the place an Islamist celebration, Ennahda, has been the largest faction for the reason that revolution.
Western states which held up Tunisia as an Arab Spring success story have mentioned little concerning the proposed modifications, although Washington criticised Saied in June for undermining democratic establishments after he purged the judiciary.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates confirmed some assist to Saied final yr, blissful to see the Islamists’ wings clipped. However they haven't adopted by way of with badly-needed help regardless of Tunisian officers saying some had been pledged.
Teams that oppose Saied have held scattered, small protests within the run-up to the referendum, underlining their disunity.
Ennahda took half in a protest on Saturday, whereas civil society organisations and smaller events held one on Friday. A celebration that backed the pre-revolution autocracy held its personal on each days.
Rallies organised by Saied supporters have additionally drawn few folks, and there was little signal of pleasure across the marketing campaign.
Financial decline since 2011 has left many individuals offended on the events which have ruled for the reason that revolution and disillusioned with the political system they ran.
“I don’t assist Saied, however I'll vote ‘sure’ within the referendum as a result of these protesting towards it are the primary reason behind our issues for the previous decade,” mentioned Mohammed, a Tunis resident.
Of the three parliamentary elections and two presidential elections for the reason that revolution, the bottom turnout, of 41%, was in 2019 for the chamber dissolved by Saied.
A turnout on Monday far beneath that price would additional name into query the legitimacy of the brand new structure.
Saied’s critics say his bid to remake the political system has distracted consideration from the financial disaster.
The federal government hopes to safe a $4 billion mortgage from the IMF. However it faces stiff union opposition to the required reforms, together with slicing gasoline and meals subsidies.
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