Tunisia’s president suspends parliament, assumes executive power

Tunisian President Kais Saied announced late Sunday that he has fully assumed executive authority in addition to suspending parliament.

During a meeting with military leaders, Saied said he had decided to sack Prime Minister Hicham Mechichi, according to the Tunisian Presidency's official Facebook page.

He added that he has also decided to lift the immunity of all members of parliament, known as the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, and to undertake public prosecution himself.

He went on to note that he took these decisions in "consultation" with Mechichi and Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi and will take other decisions until social peace returns to the country.

Ghannouchi has yet to comment on these developments.

However, Ennahda Movement party deputy leader Ali Larayedh said in remarks to the Al-Jazeera news channel that the Tunisian president had carried out a coup against the constitution and the 2011 revolution.

Larayedh was questioning the fate of the prime minister, saying he was informed that Mechichi had been "detained" in the presidential palace.

The Tunisian presidency has yet to comment on Larayedh's claim.

Tunisia has seen popular protests against both the government and the opposition.