Tunisian President Kais Saied announced on Wednesday evening the dissolution of the Assembly of people's representatives, or the parliament.

The announcement was made by Saied in a speech broadcast on state television Wataniya 1.

"The State is targeted by a desperate coup attempt. My responsibility is to protect the state, its institutions, and its people," the president said.

Describing an earlier meeting of the parliament as "illegal," he said the parliament "has already been suspended since last July" and its session has "no legitimacy."

On July 25, 2021, Saied sacked former Prime Minister Hichem Mechich and suspended all activities of the parliament.

More than half of the 217-seat Tunisian parliament voted on Wednesday in a symbolic online session to revoke presidential decrees halting the chamber's functions.