This paper looks into the first months of Kais Saied’s presidency in Tunisia, examining the major crises that he has faced since taking office.
Starting with the wave of optimism in Tunisia, this paper looks into the first months of Kais Saied’s Presidency. In doing so, it examines three major crises that the President has faced since taking office; namely, the formation of the government, the coronavirus outbreak, and crafting foreign policy towards Libya. The paper argues that, regardless of the mostly symbolic mandate of the Tunisian Presidency, in each case Kais Saied has tried to assert his influence despite constitutional limitations, relying on the legitimacy derived from his significant public popularity.
Download the Discussion Paper