Kais Saied
Who was Kais Saied?
President of Tunisia since 2019 and former constitutional law professor. He suspended parliament and dismissed the prime minister in 2021, consolidating executive power.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Kais Saied (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Kais Saied was born on 22 February 1958 in Tunis, Tunisia. He studied law at Tunis University and focused on constitutional law. Throughout his career, he became known as an academic and jurist, working as an assistant professor of law and later leading the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law from 1995 to 2019. He is married to Ichraf Saied.
In 2019, Saied ran for president as an independent, promoting anti-corruption and social conservatism with a populist approach. Although he didn't have a formal political party backing him, he gained support from the Islamist party Ennahda and many voters disillusioned with the political elite. In the election's second round, he defeated media mogul Nabil Karoui, earning 72.71 percent of the vote, and became Tunisia's fifth president on 23 October 2019.
Saied's presidency has been marked by a focus on executive power. In January 2021, Tunisia experienced protests due to economic struggles, alleged police brutality, and COVID-19 challenges. On 25 July 2021, Saied dismissed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and suspended parliament, actions commonly seen as a self-coup. He then claimed the power to govern by presidential decree, bypassing the legislative branch created under the 2014 constitution from the Arab Spring period.
After the July 2021 shift in power, Saied dissolved the current judiciary and arrested notable political opponents. He introduced a new constitution, approved in 2022, increasing presidential authority and limiting parliamentary control. Early legislative elections took place under this new framework. In October 2024, Saied was re-elected for a second term, strengthening his control over Tunisian politics. International observers and human rights groups have noted concerns about democracy, citing limits on political opposition, the press, and civil society during his presidency.
Saied has received international honors like the Algerian National Order of Merit at the Atheer rank in 2020 and the Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of Palestine in 2021, reflecting his diplomatic activities in the Arab world during his early presidency.
Before Fame
Kais Saied was born in Tunis in 1958 and grew up during a time when Tunisia was governed by President Habib Bourguiba, who had been in power since the country gained independence in 1956. Under Bourguiba, Tunisia focused heavily on education and legal institutions, creating a base for a professional class of lawyers and academics. Saied studied law at Tunis University and became involved in legal and academic fields in the 1980s, a decade characterized by economic challenges and Bourguiba's removal by Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 1987.
During the Ben Ali era, which lasted until the 2011 Jasmine Revolution, Saied played roles in legal and academic settings without indulging in party politics. His election as president of the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law in 1995 gave him a notable position, and his knowledge of constitutional issues made him a well-known public figure during Tunisia's transition after the revolution. His serious demeanor, use of formal Arabic, and decision not to join any established party set him apart from typical politicians and helped him gain popularity in the divided political environment of the late 2010s.
Key Achievements
- Elected fifth president of Tunisia in 2019 with 72.71 percent of the vote in the second round, the largest margin in any Tunisian presidential election.
- Served as president of the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law for 24 years, from 1995 to 2019.
- Consolidated executive power through the July 2021 dismissal of parliament and the prime minister, followed by governance by presidential decree.
- Oversaw the drafting and ratification of a new Tunisian constitution in 2022, restructuring the country's system of government to concentrate authority in the presidency.
- Re-elected to a second presidential term in October 2024, extending his governance of Tunisia beyond his initial five-year mandate.
Did You Know?
- 01.Saied is known for delivering public speeches entirely in classical Arabic rather than the Tunisian dialect, a stylistic choice that sets him apart from most Arab politicians.
- 02.He won the 2019 presidential election without running a conventional campaign, relying heavily on grassroots networks and social media rather than television advertising.
- 03.Before becoming president, he spent more than two decades as president of the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law, from 1995 to 2019.
- 04.His July 2021 dismissal of parliament and the prime minister took place on Republic Day, a symbolically significant national holiday in Tunisia.
- 05.The 2022 constitution he championed replaced the widely praised 2014 Tunisian constitution, which had been considered one of the most progressive governing documents to emerge from the Arab Spring.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Algerian National Order of Merit, Atheer rank | 2020 | — |
| Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of Palestine | 2021 | — |