Gulsen Topcu: The Arab League said Monday that it hopes Tunisia will leave its turbulent times behind.

Following Tunisian President Kais Saied’s announcement that he will temporarily assume executive, judicial and legislative powers, the country’s foreign minister, Othman Jerandi, called Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit to discuss the latest developments in the country and the motives behind Saied’s decision, the statement said.

Aboul Gheit voiced full support for the Tunisian people, expressing hope that Tunisia will leave its turbulent times behind soon, the statement noted.

Developments in Tunisia are closely being followed by the whole Arab world, he added.

In a televised speech Sunday, Saied said he will suspend the immunity of all members of parliament and take control of the general prosecutor’s office.

He claimed that he had taken the decisions after consulting with Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi.

Ghannouchi, for his part, described Saied`s moves as nothing but a "full-fledged coup" against the Tunisian constitution, revolution and freedoms in the country.

Tunisia has been gripped by a deep crisis since Jan. 16, when Mechichi announced a cabinet reshuffle but Saied refused to hold a ceremony to swear in the new ministers. The country also faces an unprecedented spread of COVID-19 strains in most states.​​​​​​​

Tunisia is seen as the only country that succeeded in carrying out a democratic transition among a group of Arab countries that witnessed popular revolutions which toppled their ruling regimes, including Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

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