Tunisian president cements power with decree to dismiss judges
Tunisia’s newly-established provisional judicial body has granted President Kais Saied the power to dismiss judges and remove their right to strike, helping to further consolidate his authority in the North African country.
The temporary new council, with no fixed term, said in an official decree on Sunday that Saied had the right to object to the promotion or nomination of judges across the country, and was responsible for proposing judicial reforms.
Last week, Saied dissolved the Supreme Judiciary Council that oversees judges, one of the institutions in the country able to work independently of the president. The move was met with harsh criticism from Youssef Bouzakher, Tunisia's top judge, who accused Saied of undermining the judiciary's independence.
More than 200 judges and lawyers in black robes protested in front of the main court in the Tunisian capital Tunis, shouting slogans and calling for Saied to respect the independence of the judiciary.
Some held signs stating, "There is no democracy without an independent judiciary."
Saied, who took power with the promise of reforms, called the Supreme Judicial Council a “thing of the past,” and accused members of the council of taking “billions” in bribes. The Tunisian president also accused council members of delaying politically sensitive investigations, including a probe into the assassinations of left-wing activists in 2013.
Saied has already seized absolute control over both executive and legislative authority, dismissing several ministers and top officials as part of reforms, with critics accusing him of seeking authoritarian powers.
The 63-year-old has said he will uphold rights and freedoms won in the 2011 revolution that brought democracy to Tunisia and that he will put a new constitution to a referendum this summer, with new parliamentary elections to follow in December.
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