![People gather during a solidarity protest with Rached Ghannouchi outside the courthouse in capital Tunis, Tunisia on July 19, 2022 [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/AA-20220719-28454892-28454883-SOLIDARITY_PROTEST_WITH_RACHED_GHANNOUCHI_IN_TUNISIA.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1)
August 20, 2022 at 10:19 am
The Ennahda Movement in Tunisia on Friday criticised the 2022 Constitution as being “illegitimate” and: “An attempt to legitimise a coup against the revolution’s Constitution, institutions and gains.”
According to the movement: “The so-called 2022 Constitution is illegitimate and is an attempt to legitimise a coup against the revolution’s Constitution, institutions and gains, in addition to the unilateral formulations that accompanied this process and forgery. The referendum on the Constitution was widely boycotted by three-quarters of registered voters.”
In a statement viewed by Anadolu Agency, the movement urged that the 2022 Constitution: “Does not address any of the country’s problems, but rather perpetuates unilateralism, tyranny and avoidance of oversight and accountability.”
It warned against what it described as: “Continuing the policy of escapism and selling illusions to citizens by adopting a populist discourse that perpetuates the division of society away from the urgent economic and social priorities in our country.”
Ennahda called on all democratic forces opposed to the “coup” to unite their efforts: “To confront the imminent danger of dictatorship and advance discussion and dialogue to formulate a common vision to keep the country from the dangers of economic collapse and social explosion and to pave the way to restore the betrayed democratic path.”
READ: Controversial Tunisian Constitution comes into effect amid criticism
The movement held the government responsible: “For the escalation of the political, economic and social crisis, in light of the continuing high rates of inflation and the deepening of the trade deficit. This amounted to 13.7 billion dinars ($4.30 million) during the first seven months of the current year compared to a deficit of 8.7 billion dinars ($2.7 million) during the same period in 2021.”
On Wednesday, Tunisian President Kais Saied announced the start of the new Constitution, which was put to a referendum on 25 July.
Since 25 July, 2021, Tunisia has been experiencing a severe political crisis when Saied took exceptional measures, including dismissing the government and appointing a new one, dissolving the Judicial Council and Parliament, issuing legislation by presidential decrees and passing a new Constitution through a referendum.