Supporters of Tunisia President Take to Streets After Referendum on Constitution

TUNIS (Sputnik) - Hundreds of supporters of Tunisian President Kais Saied took to the center of the capital, Tunis, on Monday evening after the referendum on constitutional amendments, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Polling stations closed at 22:00 local time (21:00 GMT), the counting of votes has begun. According to the election commission, 2,458,000 people voted, with the turnout exceeding 27 percent.

Hundreds of Saied's supporters, wrapped in national flags, took to the main street of Tunisia - Habib Bourguiba Avenue. People are shouting slogans both in support of the incumbent president and against the leader of the opposition, the former head of the dissolved parliament, Rached Ghannouchi.

In Avenue Bourguiba ora i sostenitori di Kais Saied in piazza per festeggiare la vittoria del sì pic.twitter.com/Ngm4Gl3OkT

— Arianna Poletti (@AriannaPoletti) July 25, 2022

According to the Sigma Conseil exit poll, over 90 percent of those who voted supported the draft of the new constitution, while 7.7 percent voted against it.

Over 9 million people had the right to vote. There were only two questions on the ballot - about agreeing or disagreeing with the draft of the new constitution.

Polls open for constitutional referendum in Tunisia

Referendum is scheduled after President Kais Saied sacked PM and suspended parliament #Tunisia #Referendum pic.twitter.com/ToNSIoCOTE

— Transcontinental Times (@Transctimes) July 25, 2022

The vote took place against the backdrop of sharp disagreements between supporters of the president who initiated the referendum and his opponents. Part of the opposition called on its supporters to boycott the referendum.

Amendments to the constitution, with which the opposition does not agree, give the head of state unlimited powers compared to the constitution adopted in 2014.