TUNIS: Thousands of Tunisians protested on Sunday after President Kais Saied gave himself sweeping powers over the judiciary, his latest step in what opponents say is a slide towards autocracy.

A decree published in the early hours officially replaced a judicial watchdog he had vowed to dissolve, and gave him powers to block judicial appointments, sack judges and ban them from going on strike.

Hours later, more than 2,000 protesters gathered in central Tunis, many waving large Tunisian flags and chanting slogans against the president.

“The people want what you don’t want,” went one chant, echoing a slogan of the country’s revolt against the regime of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali over a decade ago: “The people want the regime to fall.” Some protesters carried signs reading “save our democracy!” and “don’t touch the judiciary!” Saied’s decree came a week after he said he would dissolve the High Judicial Council (CSM), prompting a nationwide strike by judges saying the move would infringe on their independence.

Sunday’s ruling establishes a new “Temporary Supreme Judicial Council” with 21 members, who must swear “by God almighty to preserve the independence of the judiciary”. Nine are directly appointed by the president.

The rest, all judges, are indirectly under his control in view of his new powers to dismiss “any judge failing to do his professional duties”.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2022