Older and younger generations march in Tunis to reject President Kais Saied’s draft constitution, days before a referendum.
Tunis, Tunisia – Hundreds of people have gathered in Tunis to protest against a draft constitution proposed by President Kais Saied, two days before a planned referendum on the charter.
The National Salvation Front alliance of opposition groups led a march through the Tunisian capital on Saturday to reject the president’s constitution change program and denounced what they called an undemocratic and illegal process.
Many of the protesters were from the older generation, who had lived under former president Zine Abbedine Ben Ali and participated in the 2011 revolution that forced him from office.
Among them was Ennadha supporter Amna Fehty who said she was there to “fight for freedom and democracy”.
“We cannot progress or have any power in this world under a dictatorship,” he told Al Jazeera.
“I don’t want to see our children living as slaves under a dictator.”
People take part in a protest against President Kais Saied’s draft constitution ahead of a referendum [Zoubeir Souissi/Retuers]
Tension has been rising in the country ahead of the vote amid fears that the draft constitution will serve as the basis for a new hyper-presidential system of government.
The referendum comes a year after Saied suspended parliament and dismissed the government in what his opponents call a power grab. The president said he was responding to the will of the people and saving the country from imminent danger.
He soon began ruling by decree and has dismantled some of the country’s democratic state institutions, including the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, while pushing for a new constitution, a draft of which was released last month.
The charter would limit the powers of parliament and the judiciary and enshrine the powers it has built up over the past year.
A member of the National Salvation Front’s executive committee called Monday’s referendum “another link in a series of illegal events.”
“We are here to state for the record that we believe this new constitution is completely illegitimate and will continue to respect the 2014 constitution,” Jaohar ben Mbarek told Al Jazeera.
There were also younger people in the crowd at Saturday’s rally. They said Kais Saied is robbing them of the opportunity to develop their democracy.
Alabbas Ben Abdennabi, a 22-year-old business student, told Al Jazeera: “Kais Saied staged a coup, he betrayed the Tunisian people who voted for him… [Saied] he wants to be like a sultan.”
Ammen Ekalini, a 20-year-old activist, came to the demonstration with his fellow students and said that the referendum does not discourage them and he is ready to fight for democracy.
“We want the world to know that we are the generation of democracy,” he told Al Jazeera.
“We know how much our parents suffered under the dictatorship, they were here [on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Tunis] in 2011 during the revolution. We know this constitution will pass. In article 139 it says that if he wins yes or no, it will be activated”.
Duaa Naceur, an 18-year-old high school student, told Al Jazeera: “Saied wants to steal all our rights, but we won’t let him.”
“Our message to the world is: help us rebuild our democracy. We are capable, we can do it.”
Saturday’s peaceful rally followed a protest the night before where police arrested several protesters and violently beat activists.
Al Jazeera witnessed violent beatings and the use of pepper spray at Friday’s protest.
The interior ministry said the protesters started the violence against the police.
The Tunisian labor union UGTT condemned police violence and demanded the release of those arrested and a full investigation, saying: “We hold the president accountable for this authoritarian deviation.”