Tunisia on Edge as President Suspends Parliament, Fires Prime Minister

Tunisia on Edge as President Suspends Parliament, Fires Prime Minister
Tunisian soldiers guard the main entrance of the parliament as demonstrators gather outside the the gate in Tunis, Tunisia, on July 26, 2021. Hedi Azouz/AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

TUNIS, Tunisia—Troops surrounded Tunisia’s parliament and blocked its speaker from entering Monday after the president suspended the legislature and fired the prime minister and other top members of government, sparking concerns for the North African country’s young democracy at home and abroad.

In the face of nationwide protests over Tunisia’s economic troubles and the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, President Kais Saied decided late Sunday to dismiss the officials, including the justice and defense ministers.