Tunisia-A former ISIE head fires red balls at Kais Saïed’s project

In an interview with Jeune Afrique, the former president of the ISIE Kamel Jendouba fired red balls at the project of the President of the Republic Kais Saïed. Jendoubi recollected that the Head of State has consolidated all powers in his hands, affirming that the term democracy has almost vanished from political debate. Jendouba revealed that the nation encounters several financial, socio-economic and political challenges, emphasising that Tunisians are resigned by saying that in the time of Ben Ali, it was better.

“Kaïs Saïed made this term suspect by castigating fraudulent democracy, distorted democracy, democracy acquired by-elections, according to him rigged, including those which permitted him to be elected president! According to his logic, he should have put his mandate back on the line if the result of the presidential election is not credible. In practice, it can be defined as a democracy without political parties, without intermediaries, without social or associative actors, without public opinion, of which he has never made a prominent deal, he who does not even have a spokesperson. 

A democracy without checks and balances or balance of powers, in short, a so-called direct democracy, by which the so-called sovereign people voluntarily depend on a saviour, a providential man” he said. Remarking on the following electoral meetings and the reservations that have been voiced concerning the current composition of the ISIE, Jendoubi specified that only the name remains of this body. According to him, the members of the ISIE are picked by the Head of State and according to his assessment of their adherence to his project. The looming referendum will ban all those who are not for the presidential project, adds the same source.