Tunisia referendum: Voters give president near unchecked power

Tunisia has voted to hand sweeping new powers to the country’s president, in a move that critics say risks the return of authoritarian rule to the country.

Fewer than a third of Tunisians voted in the referendum, with 94.6% of those balloted supporting plans to hand President Kais Saied broad new powers.

But opposition groups, who boycotted the vote, said the results were “not credible” and “inflated”.

Mr Saied has claimed the changes will break Tunisia’s political paralysis.

The 64-year-old has already been ruling by decree since this time last year, when he dramatically moved to suspend parliament and dismiss the government.

Tunisia’s new constitution would give the head of state full executive control, supreme command of the army and the ability to appoint a government without parliamentary approval.