Law Professor and President (64) Got Almost All Powers – NRK Urix – Foreign News & Documentaries

He clenched his fist and lifted it victoriously.

President Kais Saied could celebrate in Tunisia, Tuesday this week, his new almost absolute power. Around him, Tunisians sang happily that “the people will work to reform the country.”

A referendum on the same day gave the president what he wanted. The constitution must be changed. 76 percent of the Tunisian people didn’t vote, they don’t care.

Possess critical voices who warn of a new dictatorship.

The opposition boycotted the referendum.

– We want real democracy and not just a formality as we have done for decades. President Kais Saied said when the result was clear.

– Slaves under a dictator

Opposition politicians called the whole thing a “coup” and a “crime against democracy and Tunisia.” The ‘most democratic country in the Arab world’ The vegetable seller who set himself on fire And the entire Arab Spring of 2010 is on the verge of collapse, many claim.

“I don’t want to see my children live as slaves under a dictator,” said protester Amna Fathi The island before the referendum is held on Monday.

The vote took place exactly one year after President Saied sacked the prime minister, sacked parliament and began ruling the country by decree, with extensive use of emergency powers.

Don’t write off democracy

– cI think it is too early to write off democracy in Tunisia. Rather, this may be a turning point in the development of democracySays Joachim Nahem for the NRK . radio program Urix on Saturday.

Naim previously worked for the United Nations in Tunisia, but is now the director of Position Green. He maintains that criticism of some of the changes is justified.

– The controversy lies in the fact that the constitution is being changed drastically, he says.

– Power is transferred from an elected parliament to a president who exercises more power and is less controlled by both parliament and the courts.

A lot of indifference among Tunisians

According to Joachim Nahem, Tunisia’s new democracy did not bring with it a higher standard of living, better economic times, and development in rural areas in particular.

– I think what is important for Tunisians is to speed up the economy. If democracy can do that, of course they support it.

He thinks there is a lot of indifference among Tunisians now.

– To most people, this probably looks like an elite debate with changes to the constitution, says Naim.

The Shanmeen revolution began in Tunisia in 2010 and led to the flight of the hated president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from the country. The people demanded democratic reforms.

But Tunisia once again faced a potential civil war. Terrorist acts and numerous political murders threatened the democratic process.

Tourists were afraid, and extremist groups like the Islamic State were gaining wind in their sails.

Four organizations have done critical work for a new democracy. The Tunisian Dialogue Quartet were also mediators in the conflict and were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts in 2015.

In the previous year, Tunisia obtained a completely new constitution, with equal rights for women and men. It was changed this week.