Tunisian President Kais Saied condemns parliament sessions as 'illegal'

Tunisian President KaisSaiedhas condemned "illegal" meetings of aparliamenthe suspended last July, saying those responsible for the planned virtualsessionswere trying to sow chaos.

The North African country is in the throes of a deep political and economic crisis which took a dramatic turn last July 25 whenSaiedsacked the government and suspendedparliament, later moving to rule by decree.

His opponents have labelled the moves a "coup" against the fraught democracy that emerged after the 2011 revolution that overthrew dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the Arab Spring revolutions.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The assembly's speaker Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, has called for a plenary session on Wednesday to discussSaied's "exceptional measures" imposed since July.

In a video published by his office late Monday,Saiedsaid that "the so-called 'virtual meeting' isillegalbecause the assembly is frozen".

Talking at a meeting of his National Security Council, he accused his rivals of "coup attempts" and said the security apparatus would deal with those attempting to create "domestic strife".

Ghannouchi, whose party has dominated Tunisian politics since the revolution and is seen asSaied's main rival, made his call during a virtual meeting bringing together heads of parliamentary blocs on Monday.

The MPs also decided to hold another plenary on Saturday to discussTunisia's deteriorating economic situation and public finances.

They did not specify how the plenary would be held, but theparliamentbuilding has been closed by security forces sinceSaied's power grab last year.

Saieddismissed the moves as "wretched and worthless", mockingly saying that if they wanted to meet they could do so "in a spaceship".

Watch |Pioneers reviving the eco-lodge in Tunisia