Demonstrators hold flags as they gather during a protest against Tunisian President Kais Saied in Tunis, Tunisia June 19, 2022. REUTERS / Zoubeir Souissi
Demonstrators hold flags as they gather during a protest against Tunisian President Kais Saied in Tunis, Tunisia June 19, 2022. REUTERS / Zoubeir Souissi
Demonstrators hold flags as they gather during a protest against Tunisian President Kais Saied in Tunis, Tunisia June 19, 2022. REUTERS / Zoubeir Souissi
Demonstrators hold flags as they gather during a protest against Tunisian President Kais Saied in Tunis, Tunisia June 19, 2022. REUTERS / Zoubeir Souissi

Tunisians rush to read constitution ahead of referendum


Erin Clare Brown
  • English
  • Arabic

Tunisians on Friday were rushing to read and understand a proposed constitution released by President Kais Saied after weeks of anticipation and closed-door meetings before the text is put to a referendum on July 25.

Many expected the draft document, the crown jewel in Mr Saied's political vision for a “Third Republic” in Tunisia, would sweep aside much of the 2014 constitution drafted after the mass uprisings and would enshrine a stronger presidential system.

Several experts who spoke to The National — including one of the people who drafted the document — said they were puzzled by large parts of the final version, including the document's frequent but unclear references to the role of Islam in the new system, the creation of a new legislative body and the elimination of the balance of power between the legislature, executive and judiciary.

A powerful president and a new legislative chamber

The biggest change is to the structure of the government, in which the presidency would be strengthened and Parliament and the judiciary weakened.

As head of the executive, the president would propose legislation for approval by both Parliament and a new legislative body called the National Council of Regions and Districts.

The new council, a long-time political project of Mr Saied, would be drawn from members of yet-to-be-formed local councils responsible for governing on a grass roots level.

Mr Saied insists this will put power back in the hands of the people and be a course correction after the 2011 revolution.

But the language in the new constitution grants sweeping powers to the president to dissolve both the legislature and government without an approval process or oversight. However, no procedure is provided for his impeachment.

The new constitution would also reduce the power of the judiciary to a “function” of the state rather than a separate authority and forbid judges to strike.

A president would have the prerogative to appoint and dismiss justices, a move that legal scholars say will weaken judicial independence and further reduce checks on the president.

“The proposed constitution provides for an unaccountable, unchecked and unimpeachable president, even in cases of serious violations of the constitution,” said Said Benarbia, the Mena regional director of the International Commission of Jurists.

“While the president can dissolve the Parliament and dismiss the Cabinet, he cannot be held to account before the Parliament or the judiciary. The procedure of impeachment was removed, together with the role of the Parliament and the Constitutional Court in reviewing the president’s powers and actions during the state of exception.”

While the language around the president's powers is clear, the description of the new legislative body is less so.

“Provisions for the creation of a National Council of Regions and Districts were very imprecise,” said Eya Jarad, a Tunisian political scientist and researcher.

She said the document shows a “lack of competence to formulate a text that establishes an institution with a clear structure and objectives”, leaving many in the country questioning how the new body might function and how it will fit into the larger government.

'Not the constitution I saw'

For many, what is not in the constitution is as surprising as what is.

For weeks, core members of the small, specially appointed committee charged with drafting the new constitution made the rounds on local media, promoting voter registration, giving insights into their process and dropping hints about the contents of the proposed document.

There would be no reference to Islam in the constitution and there would be a focus on correcting social inequality — something that was neglected by the constituent assembly that wrote the 2014 constitution after the departure of long-time leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in the face of mass protests.

Hours before the new document was published in the official journal on Thursday night, Ibrahim Bouderbela, one of the legal scholars on the committee, outlined key socioeconomic pieces of the draft with The National.

One watershed article, he said, would bar the government from using foreign funding to pay state salaries, a move that could potentially upend an impending deal with the International Monetary Fund.

Yet when the final draft was released, that article — and many others described by Mr Bouderbela and his colleagues who worked on the draft — were nowhere to be found.

“This is not the constitution that I saw before it was presented to the president of the Republic,” Mr Bouderbela said in a statement on Shems FM radio early on Friday.

The committee's draft was presented to Mr Saied 10 days earlier for review. Mr Saied said some elements were in need of “revisions” but did not indicate how much he intended to rework the text.

“The section we included regarding socioeconomics is not there,” Mr Bouderbela said, though he noted that the new document “does match what we had envisioned regarding powers, the political system, etc”.

The question of Islam

One of the largest departures from what the drafting committee say they turned over to Mr Saied on June 20 is the inclusion of Islam in the document.

The first article of the 2014 constitution said that Tunisia “is a free, independent and sovereign state. Its religion is Islam, its language is Arabic and its system is republican”.

Many expected fewer references to Islam in the new document.

Instead, the faith and its legal doctrine are woven throughout, including an article that states: “Tunisia is part of the Islamic nation and the state alone must work to achieve the goals of Islam in preserving the soul, honour, money, religion and freedom.”

Many Tunisians question whether this means an end to the secular state, something many fought to preserve after the return of Islamist parties to Tunisian politics following the 2011 revolution.

The reference to the “goals of Islam”, or “maqasid”, in particular creates a legal puzzle, said Tunisian law scholar Adam Mokrani.

“The term 'maqasid' is ambivalent and poses a lot of controversy in Islamic religious doctrine,” he said.

“We don't always have a good definition of it and its reference in the constitution could be a source of legal insecurity — should a judge comply with the legal texts at his disposal or should he seek in Islamic law, not codified, applicable rules?”

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  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm

Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km

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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Getting there

The flights

Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.

The stay

Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net 

Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama

Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

UAE rugby season

FIXTURES

West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers v Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Division 1

Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II

Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II

Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens

Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II

Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II

 

LAST SEASON

West Asia Premiership

Winners – Bahrain

Runners-up – Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership

Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners – Dubai Hurricanes

Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Conference

Winners – Dubai Tigers

Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers

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Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

THE SPECS

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Engine:  3.6L V-6

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 310hp

Torque: 367Nm

Price: Dh280,000

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Results
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FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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The specs

Common to all models unless otherwise stated

Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi

0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)

Power: 276hp

Torque: 392Nm

Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD

Price: TBC

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners

Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta​​​​​​​
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)

Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Fixtures:

Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final

Table:

1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10

2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8

3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6

4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4

5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)

Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm) 
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm) 
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm) 
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn  (4.30pm) 
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm) 
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)

Sunday, May 17

Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)

Monday, May 18

Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: July 04, 2022, 9:50 AM`