President Saied: ‘Superman’ or voice of Tunisia’s downtrodden?

Is President Kais Saied trying to bite off more than he can chew?

Since he announced his “exceptional” measures on July 25 – initially for 30 days, but open to extension – civil society actors and political players in Tunisia have been pressuring President Kais Saied to present a new “roadmap”. But this is no easy task. Saied has himself set high expectations for a “new political process”. Tunisians expect him to swiftly name a new government – the likes of Taoufik Charefeddine and Nizar Yaiche who have been tipped to head the new cabinet may decline, reform the electoral system, set up a referendum to institute a presidential system, tackle corruption and more. This comes atop compounded crises of the pandemic, a tanking economy, rising indebtedness, youth unemployment and popular disaffection with the socioeconomic situation. Indeed, problems have been mounting in Tunisia even prior to the jolt that came on July 25.