
Less than a month ago, Tunisian President Kais Saied presented the proposed constitution, giving himself significantly more authority, downplaying the role of the parliament and the court, and eliminating the majority of the balances of his power.
Ever since Kais moved against the elected parliament a year ago, removing the cabinet and attempting to rule by decree, which his opposition refer to as a march towards one-man rule.

The protesters on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the main street in central Tunis chanted, “Stop the coup!” and “Stop autocratic rule!”
There were numerous police officers stationed along the venue, but no signs of violence were present. However, during a protest on Friday, the police used sticks and pepper spray on people to disperse them.

When asked about the political unrest, many Tunisians said that the country is dealing with an impending economic crisis and needs to be addressed urgently.

It has been difficult for the opposition to take a strong position against Tunisian President Saied and organise demonstrations against him on the streets due to their disagreement among the political parties and other organisations criticising his actions.

Following years of political gridlock and economic stagnation, Saied’s action against the parliament last July had broad support. However, there hasn’t been any evidence of widespread support for the referendum, few demonstrated their support for Saied.