The Tunisian parliament is discussing the law regulating the internal security forces, aiming to put the unit under the control of Prime Minister Prime Minister Hichem rather than President Kais Saied.
The parliamentary committee on administrative organization and the affairs of the armed forces is studying the proposal despite fears it will deepen the differences between Ennahda Movement and the President.
The two sides disagree about who should be responsible for the armed forces: the president as the supreme commander of the armed forces, or the prime minister as the one who appoints the minister of interior, which falls within his constitutional powers.
The committee will be briefed by representatives of the Dignity Coalition, security officials, and representatives of the interior ministry to resolve this issue, which is expected to provoke political controversies.
According to Chapter Two of the General Basic Law of the Internal Security Forces, the ISF reports to the minister of interior but falls under the authority of the president.
The Dignity Coalition suggests changing or amending the law, stipulating that the ISF reports to the interior minister, under the authority of the prime minister, provided that all these parties are subject to parliamentary oversight.
However, the new law proposal depends on a specific interpretation of the term "armed forces", especially after the recent dispute over its meaning, and whether it includes the internal security forces, or is limited to the military institution.
The proposal will lead to a sharp political debate in the event it is sent to the parliament and it approves it.
In April, Saied stirred political and legal controversy over the distribution of powers among state institutions. He confirmed that his powers as commander of the armed forces also cover the internal security forces and not just the army.
Observers expect that this new proposal will further escalate the dispute between Saied and Mechichi and highlight their political rivalries.
