By John Ikani
President of Tunisia, Kaïs Saïed has issued a decree that replaces members of the Independent Electoral Commission with his own appointees.
The commission has been seen as one of the last official bodies to remain independent in Tunisia since Mr Saïed took executive powers and dissolved parliament last year.
The former law professor, elected in 2019 amid public anger against the political class, on July 25 last year sacked the government, froze the assembly and seized wide-ranging powers.
He later gave himself powers to rule and legislate by decree and seized control over the judiciary in what rivals saw as further blows to democracy in the birthplace of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.
Since then, anger at economic conditions in Tunisia has sparked street protests, some involving clashes with the police.
This latest move seems likely to fuel further opposition to his rule by those who believe that he has taken too much power.
It also seems all but certain to stir further controversy over parliamentary elections that the Tunisian president has said will be held by the end of this year.
