Tunisian President Kais Saied early Tuesday celebrated the almost certain victory of the "yes" vote in a referendum on a new constitution that strengthens the powers of the head of state and risks the return of authoritarian rule in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.The referendum, held a year to the day after Saied sacked the government and froze parliament in what rivals have called a coup, saw at least 27.5 percent of 9.3 million registered voters cast ballots, Tunisia's ISIE electoral commission said late Monday after polls closed.
President Kais Saied said Tunisia had "entered a new phase" on Tuesday with a new constitution almost certain to pass in a referendum, concentrating almost all powers in his office.
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Tunisians vote Monday on a constitution seen as a referendum on President Kais Saied, whose charter would give his office nearly unchecked powers in a break with the country's post-2011 democratic trend.Voting runs from 6:00 am (0500 GMT) to 10:00 pm at some 11,000 polling stations across the North African country.Around 9.3 million out of Tunisia's 12 million people civilians aged over 18 have opted in or been automatically registered to vote, according to the ISIE electoral commission.