Arab autocrats love writing, and ignoring, constitutions

KAIS SAIED’S birthday is not until February, but his speech on December 13th contained an early gift to himself. Tunisia has been in crisis since July, when Mr Saied, the president, suspended parliament and much of the constitution. He told his constituents that Tunisia’s democracy was broken (many of them agreed) and portrayed himself as a sort of Carthaginian Cincinnatus, called on to save the state in its hour of need.Mr Saied (pictured) promised two votes in 2022: a constitutional referendum in July and a parliamentary election in December. First, though, he will oversee changes to the national charter. A constitutional-law professor before he was president, Mr Saied has long dreamed of remaking Tunisia as an indirect democracy. Now he has arrogated to himself the power to do so.