Tunisian President Kais Saied has promised to launch a “fair and sincere” national dialogue on the country’s political and electoral system, a key component in leading the country out of the political crisis that caused him to suspend parliament and sack the previous government in July.

The dialogue will include youth from around the country, but exclude those who “stole the people’s money, and traitors”, he said in a cabinet meeting of the newly installed government on Thursday.

The suggestion that some of Tunisia’s main political players, including Ennahda, the largest party in parliament and one of Mr Saied’s main rivals, might be excluded casts doubt on whether the dialogue will be the inclusive process demanded by civil society, political parties and many of the country’s foreign allies.

Source: Agencies