more than 2,000 people demonstrate against President Saïed, eight months after the coup that brought him to power

“Down with the coup!”, “The people want to remove the president!” More than 2,000 people demonstrated on Sunday March 20 in Tunis against President Kaïs Saïed and the online consultation he organized for major political reforms. “No to consultation!” chanted the demonstrators gathered at the call of the movement “Citizens against the coup d’etat” and the Islamo-conservative Ennahdha party, on Tunisia’s Independence Day.

The coup by President Saïed, who assumed full powers on July 25 and has since governed the country by decree, was, from the start, described as “Rebellion” by his opponents. Waving Tunisian flags, the protesters marched towards Parliament in the Bardo district, but were blocked by a large police force.

A few hours before its closing on Sunday, the electronic consultation launched on January 15 by the president had registered some 508,000 participants, or less than 10% of the electorate (7.07 million), according to official statistics.

The answers must serve as the basis for political reforms that will be worked out by a commission of experts appointed by the president. A referendum must then be organized in July on amendments to the Constitution that Kaïs Saïed wants to make more “presidential”before new legislative elections scheduled for mid-December.