🇹🇳TunisiaNorth Africa
Tunisian MP denounces legislative blockage of audiovisual communication bill
via Business News2 min read
Meriem Cherif, a member of Parliament, sent a letter on March 31, 2026, to the President of the Assembly of People's Representatives, criticizing the stalled progress of her proposed law concerning audiovisual communication. The bill, submitted on February 27, 2025, aims to establish freedom of audiovisual communication and organize the regulatory body for the sector. More than a year later, the text has not been examined or properly directed to the relevant committee, which Cherif argues violates parliamentary procedures, specifically Article 49 of the internal regulations. The issue stems from the bill's routing: it was initially sent to the General Legislation Committee, which declared itself incompetent, while the Rights and Freedoms Committee asserted its jurisdiction and requested to review it. As a result, the proposed law is in limbo, caught between two committees. Cherif is calling for immediate correction of the review process, the transfer of the bill to the Rights and Freedoms Committee, and its prompt inclusion on the agenda. She warns that this blockage could weaken the legislative process and represents a failure to adhere to parliamentary rules. This procedural delay occurs amidst a broader context where the High Independent Authority for Audiovisual Communication HAICA, established in 2013 to regulate the Tunisian audiovisual landscape, has been inactive since July 25 due to unrenewed membership, leaving a regulatory void in the media sector.
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