Tunisia constitution approved with 94.6% of vote

Farouk Bouasker, President of the Independent High Authority for Elections, speaks during the announcement of the preliminary results of a referendum on a new constitution in Tunis. Credit: Reuters photo

A new Tunisian constitution was approved by 96.4 per cent of participants in a referendum, the head of the ISIE electoral commission said Tuesday, citing preliminary results.

Just over 2.6 million out of the country's 9.3 million voters backed the new draft, ISIE chief Farouk Bouasker told journalists in Tunis.

The new charter will enshrine sweeping powers in the office of President Kais Saied.