Tunisian president decrees referendum on new constitution

​​​​​​​TUNIS, Tunisia

Tunisian President Kais Saied on Wednesday evening issued a decree to hold a referendum on a new constitution on July 25.

The official gazette said that polling will start at 6 a.m. and end at 10 p.m. on July 25.

Voting will be held for Tunisians living abroad between July 23 and 25.

The only question on the referendum will be: “Do you agree the new constitution?” the gazette said.

Last week, Saied issued a presidential decree to form an advisory committee to draft the country’s new constitution, excluding the country’s political parties from the process.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since July 25, 2021, when Saied dismissed the government, suspended parliament, and assumed executive authority, in a move decried by opponents as a “coup.” In March, he later dissolved the parliament after lawmakers held a session to revoke his measures.

The North African country is also going through a severe economic crisis aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic amid the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine.

*Writing by Bassel Barakat