Another opposition politician arrested in Tunisia

In Tunisia, the authorities continue to suppress dissent. Police arrested two other senior officials of Ennahda, the largest opposition party, representatives of the Islamist party announced yesterday.

The police arrested the party’s interim leader, Munther Al-Wanisi, as well as Abdel-Karim Al-Harouni, who was placed under house arrest this week.

Harouni heads the Shura Council, Ennahda’s highest body. Onsi is under investigation for tapes accusing Ennahda officials of corruption and attempting to control the party. Onsi described the footage, which was posted on social media this week, as fake.

Said expands the powers of the president

Ennahda was the strongest force in parliament before President Kais Saied replaced the government with ministers of his choosing in 2021. He also expanded the powers of the president so that almost all power is in his hands.

His opponents fear that Saied wants to turn the last democratic country in North Africa into an authoritarian state and reverse the democratic gains of the 2011 “Arab Spring” revolution that began in Tunisia. Said justifies his actions by saying that he wants to get Tunisia out of the crisis.