Tunisia’s political crisis deepened Wednesday as President Kais Saied rejected parliament’s moves to rein in his near-total grip on power.

President Kais Saied: “Today, at this historic moment, I announce the dissolution of parliament in order to preserve the state and preserve its institutions.”

Most Tunisian lawmakers have rejected the order. On Wednesday, they convened an online session, where a majority voted to repeal presidential decrees suspending parliament, saying the move violated the constitution. In response, Tunisia’s justice minister ordered prosecutors to charge elected officials with “conspiring against state security.”