Tunisian opposition to boycott December parliamentary elections

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Tunisia's main opposition alliance said Wednesday its members including the once-powerful Ennahda party would boycott December polls to replace a parliament dissolved by President Kais Saied.

The vote is set for nearly a year and a half after Saied suspended the Ennahda-dominated assembly and sacked the government.

"The National Salvation Front has definitively decided to boycott the upcoming elections," said Ahmad Nejib Chebbi, head of the front which is made up of parties and movements opposed to Saied.

Chebbi said the move was in response to an electoral law written "by Saied alone," part of a "coup against constitutional legitimacy."

Tunisia's new constitution comes into effect

In mid-August, the Tunisian Electoral Commission announced the approval of the new constitution and its entry into force, adding that this was after President Kais Saied promulgated it and it was published in the Official Gazette.

Tunisians voted in a referendum on a new constitution that would further expand President Kais Saied’s powers.

The Tunisian Electoral Commission announced on July 26 that the final results of the referendum showed that 94.6% of votes (2,607,884) were in favor, while 5.40% of votes (148,723) were against.

Officials indicated that the total number of voters amounted to 2,830,094, while the number of canceled votes reached 56,479, and blank votes amounted to 17,008.

The President would be able to serve two five-year terms but could extend them if an imminent threat to the state is perceived, granting the head of state the authority to dissolve parliament. No clause allows for the impeachment of the President

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The new draft replaces the country's 2014 constitution, expanding the head of state's authority and providing him with a broad range of powers that is not limited to defense and foreign affairs as is currently the case.

The President of the Republic carries out executive functions with help from the government, whose chief would be appointed by the President and not subject to confidence votes in parliament.

Meanwhile, Tunisia is facing an impending economic crisis and is seeking an IMF bailout package — factors that have troubled ordinary people far more than the political crises over the past year.