The Tunisian NGO ‘I Watch’ on Tuesday, called the President of the Republic, Kais Saied, to “cancel the referendum scheduled for July 25, especially since to date, the composition of the committee responsible for developing draft amendments related to political reforms has not been disclosed.”
“The Presidency of the Republic has a history of forming commissions that never achieve the purpose for which they were established,” the NGO said.
It urged “all components of civil society to take clear and decisive positions to call for a boycott of the referendum if it is upheld, and to thwart any plan to circumvent the will of the people.”
‘I Watch’ expressed its fear that the Presidency of the Republic does not set up, in such a short time, a “formal” commission, whose role would be to present to the public the personal project of Kais Saied as being that of a specialized commission, while only 90 days separate the Tunisians from the referendum of July 25.
Kais Saied had launched a national electronic consultation in mid-January to “strengthen citizen participation in the democratic transition process,” to be followed by a referendum on July 25, 2022 to amend the constitution and early legislative elections in December 2022.
HA/fss/abj/APA