Tunisians back new constitution with 25% turnout

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A new Tunisian constitution is ready to go into force following a referendum on Monday that appeared to pass easily despite the low turnout.

President Kais Saied deposed parliament and sought to rule by decree last year, considering that the country needed to be saved from years of paralysis as he rewrote the democratic constitution enacted during Tunisia's 2011 'Arab spring' revolution.

Opposition parties boycotted the poll, accusing Saied of staging a coup and claiming that the new constitution he published less than a month ago heralds a return to tyranny.

Read next: Tunisians vote on Saied's new constitution

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.

There was no required threshold of participation for the initiative to pass, and the preliminary turnout was 27.5%, according to the election commission.

Hundreds of Saied supporters gathered at the central Habib Bourguiba Avenue to rejoice shortly after an exit poll by Sigma Conseil revealed a 92.3% 'yes' vote.

Read next: Participating in Tunisia’s referendum deludes people: Ghannouchi

“Sovereignty is for the people”, “The people want to purify the country” they chanted, dismissing concerns over a return to autocracy.

“We’re not afraid of anything. Only the corrupt and the officials who looted the state will be afraid,” said Noura bin Ayad, a 46-year-old woman carrying a Tunisian flag.

Tunisians flocked to the streets in favor of Saied's first efforts against the parliament last year, unleashing their rage at the political parties they blamed for years of misgovernance and collapse.