Tunisia President’s Health Raises Questions

Tunisia’s main opposition coalition pressed the government on April 3rd to explain a days-long public “absence” of President Kais Saied, saying it had information that he was sick, reports the London-based pro Qatar news website The New Arab.

Saied, 65, has not appeared in public or held any meetings since March 22, according to posts on his Facebook page – the presidency’s only official channel of communication.

The lack of statements or videos has sparked rumours over the state of Saied’s health.

“We ask the government to address the Tunisian people and say if the president has health problems that have forced him to be absent,” Ahmed Nejib Chebbi of the National Salvation Front opposition coalition told journalists.

Chebbi said Prime Minister Najla Bouden would run Tunisia in the event of a temporary power vacuum, but that a permanent vacancy would present the country with a “great catastrophe” due to a legislative void.