Apprehension grows in Tunisia as political impasse drags on

FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied addresses the nation in this screengrab taken from Tunisian President's office footage, Tunisia July 25, 2021. TUNISIAN PRESIDENT'S OFFICE/via REUTERS

TUNIS (Reuters) - President Kais Saied's delay in announcing a way forward 10 days after he seized executive power is jangling nerves among Tunisians, with friend and foe alike increasingly impatient to see steps towards ending political and economic paralysis.

Saied on July 25 dismissed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, froze parliament and said he would govern alongside a new premier. The move prompted critics to accuse him of a coup and raising fears for the future of Tunisia's democratic system.