Analysis: Tunisia's Saied savours near total power but faces looming economic tests

FILE PHOTO: Presidential candidate Kais Saied speaks during an interview with Reuters, as the country awaits the official results of the presidential election, in Tunis, Tunisia September 17, 2019. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

TUNIS (Reuters) - By ramming through his new constitution, President Kais Saied has cemented his role as master of Tunisia, heralding a new political era after a brief, difficult experiment with democracy.

An overwhelming 'yes' vote in a referendum that brought only about a quarter of voters into polling booths has enshrined a new political system in which the president has nearly total power and few formal checks on his authority.