Tunisian lawyers, politicians split on constitutional crisis

Police officers keep guard as supporter of Tunisia's biggest political party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda, gather outside the parliament building in Tunis, Tunisia July 26, 2021. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi

TUNIS (Reuters) - President Kais Saied's decision to invoke Article 80 of the Tunisian constitution late on Sunday to freeze the activities of parliament and oust the prime minister was rapidly called a coup by his political foes.

The legality of his actions rests on rival interpretations of the article that were meant to be resolved by a judicial body that authorities have for years failed to set up.