|
UGTT leader Noureddine Taboubi's comments, in a speech to
thousands of his supporters, put more pressure on President Kais
Saied, more than four months after he seized all political
powers.
"We supported July 25 because it was an opportunity to save the
country and implement reforms ... but we have become afraid for
Tunisians' democratic gains because of the excessive reluctance
to announce a roadmap", Taboubi said.
He added that the president should call for a dialogue with
political parties and national organizations that includes
reviewing the electoral law and agreeing on early and
transparent elections.
The UGTT union, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015 for
helping build democracy in the birthplace of the Arab Spring, is
a key political player in Tunisia.
Saied suspended parliament and dismissed the government on July
25, installing a new prime minister and announcing he would rule
by decree. Critics denounced his move as a coup.
The president has defended his takeover as the only way to end
governmental paralysis after years of political squabbling and
economic stagnation. He has promised to uphold rights and
freedoms won in the 2011 revolution.
Saied also promised to end the emergency state quickly but has
not given a date for this, and pressure has mounted for him to
present a roadmap to return to parliamentary democracy.
(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Frances Kerry)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
