Tunisian president dissolves supreme judicial council

FILE PHOTO: Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a speech at the government's swearing-in ceremony at the Carthage Palace outside the capital Tunis, Tunisia February 27, 2020. Fethi Belaid/Pool via REUTERS

Tunisia President Kais Saied said on Sunday he has decided to dissolve the Supreme Judicial Council, the body that deals with judicial independence, a controversial move that will spark a struggle over the judiciary.

Saied said the council has become a thing of the past, adding that he will issue a temporary decree to the council. He gave no other details about the decree.

(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Daniel Wallis)