After sacking dozens of judges, Tunisian President Kais Saied was accused by the US of a “alarming pattern” of actions “undermining” Tunisia’s independent institutions.
According to State Department spokesperson Ned Price, US officials have discussed the importance of checks and balances in a democratic system with their Tunisian counterparts.
He stated that the US government had called for a “inclusive and transparent reform process in Tunisia with input from civil society and diverse political voices to strengthen the legitimacy of reform efforts.”
Since suspending parliament last year, Saied has pushed through a series of moves expanding his powers and dismantling elected institutions.
He announced the sacking of 57 judges on Wednesday, accusing them of corruption and protecting terrorists.
In a televised address Tunisia’s president said he had “given opportunity after opportunity and warning after warning to the judiciary to purify itself”. Hours later, the official gazette published a decree announcing the dismissals.
Among those sacked was Youssef Bouzaker, the former head of the Supreme Judicial Council whose members Saied replaced this year as he moved to take control of the judiciary.
He announced earlier this month a plan for a “new republic” in Tunisia, which would be put to a referendum on July 25.