Tunisia referendum: hundreds gather against new Constitution

Just a few hours before a referendum on a new Constitution, hundreds of Tunisians were still on the streets to demonstrate against the draft text put forward by their leader. Officials of the Islamic-inspired Ennahda party stood among protesters in Tunis on Saturday accusing president Kais Saied of a power grab since last year.

"The most important message we want to convey is that the pro-democracy demonstrators in Tunisia continue to fight against the coup and against all those who want to roll back the revolution and democracy." , said Ali Larayedh, Ennahdha party leader. While a former senior figure, Samir Dilou, said the referendum was to " give allegiance to one person, Kais Saied".

The new Constitution aims to give less power to the Parliament as allowed by the 2014 Constitution. A decision considered a threat to democracy for many who praise the 2014 text inspired by the 2011 Arab Spring. " I came to participate as a Tunisian woman, to say that I endorse the 2014 constitution and that I say no to the referendum, no to the one-man constitution, no to the concentration of power in the hands of one person, no to the destruction of institutions in Tunisia." , explained Basma in Tunis.

The referendum on July 25 is taking place a year to the day after Saied sacked the government and suspended parliament in a decisive blow against the country's young democracy. The text would allow him to head the armed forces and appoint judges, who would be banned from striking.

Opponents have called for a boycott of Monday's referendum.