Tunisians hold rally to reject planned referendum amid political crisis

The demonstration in Tunis was organized by the Salvation Front, a coalition including the Ennahda party, the largest party in a parliament that President Saied dissolved in March.

It followed a similar protest on Saturday called by the Free Constitutional Party over the referendum, and a strike on Thursday by a powerful labour union over government economic reform plans, which brought much of the county to a standstill.

The president's supporters say he is standing up to elite forces whose bungling and corruption have condemned Tunisia to a decade of political paralysis and economic stagnation.

The head of the country's constitution committee said on Saturday he will hand over the new draft of what he described as a democratic constitution to the president on Monday, ahead of a July 25 referendum.

The country's main political parties say they will boycott the plebiscite. But opposition to Saied remains fragmented, as shown by the separate demonstrations at the weekend.

On Sunday, protesters marched through central Tunis to Avenue Habib Bourguiba, watched by a heavy police presence.

Judges in Tunisia on Saturday extended their national strike for a third week in protest against a decision by Saied to sack 57 judges on June 1.

The president accused them of corruption and protecting terrorists - charges that the Tunisian Judges' Association said were mostly politically motivated.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis that has aggravated the country's economic conditions since Saied ousted the government, suspended parliament and assumed executive authority last year.

While Saied insists his measures were meant to "save" the country, critics have accused him of orchestrating a coup.