Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Syrian sources: The Israeli occupation has begun withdrawing from the areas it infiltrated last night in the Quneitra countryside.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Massive bombings in eastern Gaza, the second within half an hour, and its sound was heard from central area.
Russian air defense units destroyed a drone that was heading toward Moscow.
Maduro: Tomorrow, a business meeting will be held bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs from advanced Russian industries with hundreds of Venezuelan businesspeople.
Maduro: In the face of threats, Trinidad and Tobago agreed to suspend all effects of the energy agreement and everything that had been agreed upon in that regard.
Maduro: It’s time to make a choice, either stand with the warmongers who want death and violence, or stand with life.
Maduro: They want our wealth. This is not about drug trafficking, and they know it.
Maduro: Everyone in the world knows that what the economic elite ruling the United States seeks today is Venezuela’s oil, gas, and gold.
Maduro: The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is complicit and promoting war due to her personal, physical, mental, and moral weaknesses.
President Nicolás Maduro: A series of arrests have been carried out against what could be a group of mercenaries trained and funded by the CIA.

Tunisia's Saied to dissolve all municipal councils elected in 2018

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 9 Mar 2023 14:53
4 Min Read

Municipal councils will be replaced by "special delegations" that will be appointed by the President himself. 

  • x
  • President of Tunisia Kais Saied. (AFP)
    President of Tunisia Kais Saied. (AFP)

In a move widely condemned as un-democratic, Tunisian President Kais Saied announced on Wednesday that he would dissolve municipal councils that were set up after the 2011 revolution.

Instead, they will be replaced by "special delegations" that would be appointed by the president himself. 

The announcement comes just months ahead of municipal elections, a system implemented to "de-centralize power and enhance democracy."

"We will discuss a decree to dissolve municipalities and replace them by special councils," he said in a video of a cabinet meeting that was posted online.

Dans cette vidéo publiée après minuit, la @TnPresidency annonce le texte relatif à la convocation du parlement, le texte relatif à l'élection de la 2nd chambre législ. et la dissolution de tous les conseils municipaux tunisiens élus+leur remplacement par des délégations nommées. pic.twitter.com/MQnzZzGyJB

— 10Millions2Po (@10Millions2Po) March 9, 2023

Saied said existing municipalities acted like "states within a state" and were "not neutral."

He said the new councils would be elected, but under new rules that he plans to write himself. 

Read more: Tunisian President decides to strengthen diplomatic ties with Syria

In the last municipal elections held in 2018, about 30% of councils were won by Ennahda, an Islamist party and staunch critic of President Saied. 

Political party members have a well-known past of engaging in criminal activities. While they were in power in the first year that followed the uprisings of 2011, they pushed for a law that would downgrade women's political status compared to men.

Elected municipal councils were introduced in the 2014 constitution in an effort to de-centralize power. 

Last year, Saied replaced the 2014 constitution with one he wrote himself and passed in a referendum with a 30.5% turnout of those with the right to vote.

Related News

Tunisia seeks billions in direct central bank funding to cover deficit

Iran, Tunisia to expand cooperation, unite against Israeli aggression

Useful map detailing the results of the #municipal #elections in #Tunisia. #Ennahda dominating in #southern provinces. #Tunisie #municipales #TnMunicipales2018 #TnElec2018 pic.twitter.com/f2H4whxp84

— Anne Wolf (@AnneMWolf) May 8, 2018

Since 2021, he has implemented a string of controversial political reforms, in a bid to strengthen the presidency, including the move to rule by decree and suspending the Parliament.

In Tunisia's former constitution, the previous legislature had broad powers under the mixed presidential-parliamentary system, allowing individuals to run as candidates of political parties. 

But the new constitution prevents individuals from doing so and undermining the visibility of political parties - including the opposition.

Read more: Tunisia judge imprisons politicians, businessman amid crackdown

The President justified his decision that the Tunisian country was still in the grip of a self-serving political elite, aiming to further weaken the country despite it already being in a financial crisis. 

The uprisings failed to deliver the promise of genuine and authentic democracy to the Tunisian people because the West had considerable influence in the post-revolutionary transition phase of the country.

In February, authorities detained several opposition figures of Saied's government, including Ennahda members whom the President labeled as criminals, traitors, and terrorists due to their ties with terrorist groups.

Around 6,000 Tunisians have joined groups in Syria and Iraq, after which a parliamentary panel was created in 2017 to investigate the organizations accountable for recruiting the members. Leftist groups pointed fingers at the Ennahda party and Larayedh for committing the crime. 

However, Ennahda rejected all claims and labeled the ruling as an effort to conceal “the catastrophic loss of the election” and as a political attack on Kais Saied’s opponent.

Another crucial factor, which has led to the demise of municipal councils, is that the lack of funds made it nearly impossible to effect any concrete political impact. 

Most political parties announced a nationwide boycott of parliamentary elections in December and January to protest President Saied's electoral reform. 

For this reason, the local councils were the least effective branch of government where they retained a presence.

Read more: Hundreds of Tunisians protest Saied's measures for 2nd day

  • Kais Saied
  • Tunisia
  • Tunisian elections

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Delta Air Lines flight lands at Harry Reid International Airport, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Las Vegas (AP)
Politics

Nearly 3,800 US flights disrupted amid ongoing government shutdown

FILE - The Amazon logo is pictured at the Amazon Robotic Sorting Fulfillment Center in Madison County, Miss., Aug. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Economy

Amazon to cut 30,000 jobs in largest layoff in company history

Eurofighter Typhoon Spain's Air Force fighter jets fly above the military parade marking 'Día de la Hispanidad', or Hispanic Day, in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP)
Politics

UK sells 20 Eurofighter jets to Türkiye in £8bn defense agreement

Smoke billows after drone strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted the northern port in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

RSF tighten El Fasher siege as Sudan risks fragmentation: Reuters

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS