Tunisian democracy in crisis after president ousts government

Supporters of Tunisia's biggest political party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda, take cover from stones thrown at them by supporters of President Kais Saied, outside the parliament building in Tunis, Tunisia July 26, 2021. [Reuters, Zoubeir Souissi]

Tunisia faced its biggest crisis in a decade of democracy on Monday after President Kais Saied ousted the government and froze parliament in a move that appeared to be backed by the army but was labelled a coup by foes including influential Islamists.

It follows months of deadlock and disputes between Saied, a political independent, Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and a fragmented parliament as Tunisia has descended deeper into an economic crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.