Tunisian President Kais Saied announced on Sunday evening that he has removed Hichem Mechichi from the post of prime minister and suspended all activities of the Assembly of People's Representatives, the parliament.

The announcement was made in a video broadcast on the official Facebook page of the Tunisian presidency, after an emergency meeting that Saied held with senior security officials.

"The constitution does not allow for the dissolution of parliament, but it does allow for its work to be suspended," the president said, citing Article 80 of the constitution which permits such a measure in case of "imminent danger."

Saied said he will temporarily head the government until he appoints a new prime minister. The president also announced that he annulled the immunity of all parliament members.

Tunisia's ruling party, the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha, on Sunday slammed the president's decision as a "state coup against the revolution."

"What Kais Saied is doing is a state coup against the revolution and against the constitution, and the members of Ennahdha and the Tunisian people will defend the revolution," the party wrote in a statement on its Facebook page.

Violent protests broke out on Sunday in several Tunisian provinces as protesters expressed anger at the deterioration of the North African nation's health, economic and social situations, calling for the departure of the government and the dissolution of the parliament chaired by Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the Ennahdha party.

(With input from Xinhua, AFP)