Tunisia’s President Kais Saied sacked the prime minister in a power grab.
Away from the legislature and police roadblocks, there are few outward signs of an intense political crisis. But many Tunisians have welcomed the president’s orders.
Many are struggling in a decade since the overthrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. But with the country struggling amid dire health and economic crises, the temptation of a strongman appeals to some.
Some point out that Ben Ali also invoked the constitution in 1987 when he seized power, before turning to authoritarianism.
Some Tunisians are wary of the closure of the Tunis bureau of Al Jazeera as a worrying sign. But others are fearful that Tunisians will hold Saied to his promise to choose a new prime minister.