Tunisians begin to vote in controversial referendum

Tunisians are voting in a referendum on a controversial new constitution which would entrench significant new powers seized by the president, Kais Saied.

He dismissed parliament a year ago and has been ruling largely by decree.

The proposed constitution would formalise this, subordinating parliament to the president and removing most checks on his authority.

Mr Saied and his supporters say the changes are needed to end political factionalism and corruption.

But critics say the reforms would end the relatively open democracy brought in after the popular uprising of 2011 which drove the autocratic former president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, from power.