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Tunisia extends state of emergency as polls approach

12.03.2018

Tunisia's nationwide state of emergency, in place since an attack in the capital in 2015, will be extended by seven months.

The decision was taken after consultation by President Beji Caid Essebsi with the prime minister and the parliament speaker, a presidential statement said.

It will come into effect as of 12 March.

The state of emergency was initially introduced after an attack that killed 12 Tunisian presidential guards in Tunis in November 2015.

Tuesday's decision marks the longest extension. The previous extensions ranged from one to three months.

Tunisia is gearing up for its first municipal elections since the 2011 uprising. They will be held on 6 May.

Tunisia is widely seen as the sole democratic success story of the 2010-11 Arab Spring uprisings. The country has been in the grip of an economic slowdown, resulting from the unrest that followed the revolt against long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and ensuing attacks by insurgents.    (dpa)