(Tunis) The controversial Constitution proposed by Tunisian President Kais Saïed, author of a coup a year ago, was adopted by a large majority of 94.6%, the electoral authority Isie confirmed on Tuesday on the basis of final results.
Posted at 3:11 p.m.
The new fundamental law, which will clearly strengthen the prerogatives of the head of state, was approved by just over 2.6 million people, announced Farouk Bouasker, president of Isie to the press. The participation rate was considered very low at 30.5%.
The opposition, which has been denouncing for a year the coup of July 25, 2021 by Mr. Saied by which he assumed all powers, and human rights defenders have warned against a danger of a return to dictatorship with the new Constitution.
“The Constitution comes into force from the announcement of the final results, its promulgation by the president and its publication in the official journal,” said Mr. Bouasker.
The rejection by the administrative court of all appeals against the referendum process “confirmed the integrity and transparency of Isie”, added Mr. Bouasker, considering that his institution “suffered an unprecedented wave of accusations of certain political parties and civil society organisations”.
The new Constitution establishes a hyper-presidential regime breaking with that in force since 2014 which deliberately limited the role of the Head of State to avoid regimes such as the dictatorship of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the autocratic drift of the hero of independence Habib Bourguiba.
The new text does not provide for a procedure for the dismissal of the president, who appoints the head of government and the ministers and can dismiss them at will. A second chamber is created within the Parliament to represent the regions and counterbalance the People’s Assembly.
According to political scientists, those who voted “yes” were motivated above all by the hope of an improvement in their economic situation.
The country is plunged into a serious crisis, characterized by low growth (less than 3%), high unemployment (nearly 40% of young people) and increased poverty (4 million people).
Very indebted, Tunisia has been negotiating for weeks a new loan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), hoping to obtain 4 billion dollars and above all a sesame for other foreign aid, in particular European.