Tunisia's powerful union criticizes president's roadmap out of political crisis

FILE PHOTO: Presidential candidate Kais Saied is pictured at his campaign headquarters, as the country awaits the official results of the presidential election, in Tunis, Tunisia September 17, 2019. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/File Photo

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's powerful UGTT union criticized on Tuesday the president's roadmap out of political crisis‮ ‬ saying it does not break with individual rule and exclusion,‮ ‬in its first comment on the president's plan.

President Kais Saied said last month he would call a constitutional referendum in July, a year to the day after he seized broad powers in moves his opponents call a coup, and that parliamentary elections would follow at the end of 2022.

The referendum would take place on July 25, following an online public consultation that will start in January.

(Reporting By Tarek Amara; Editing by Chris Reese)