The Takeaway: Tunisia reaches turning point as its democracy unravels
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Our take: Tunisian President Kais Saied’s dramatic power grab is testing the Biden administration’s pledge to defend democracy at home and abroad.
Following a widely boycotted July 25 referendum, Tunisia has approved a new constitution that critics say cements Saied's one-man rule and reverses hard-won democratic gains in the country that birthed the Arab Spring.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price noted that “a broad range of Tunisia’s civil society, media, and political parties have expressed deep concerns” about the new constitution, which hands the president full executive control.
“And in particular, we note the widespread concerns among many Tunisians regarding the lack of an inclusive and transparent process and limited scope for genuine public debate during the drafting of the new constitution,” he told Al-Monitor during Tuesday’s press briefing.
