Since the measures taken by Kais Saïed which consist mainly in the suspension of the activities of the parliament, for thirty days, the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of the deputies, the dismissal of the head of government Hichem Mechichi and the seizure of the executive power, the president of the Republic made several visits on the ground: an inspection visit to the special unit of the national guard (USGN) of Bir Bouragba (Nabeul) on August 4, 2021, an unannounced visit, on August 16, 2021, to the Tunis-Carthage airport, a second at Avenue Habib Bourguiba on August 1, 2021 and the last visit to a building materials company in Fouchena in the governorate of Ben Arous.
These visits elicited a lot of comments from journalists, observers, and even semiologists and sociologists.
These visits also led citizens to ask themselves several questions: Has Kais Saïed’s speech changed? What can we read between the lines of Kais Saïed’s speech? How can you analyze your non-verbal language? what are the main axes addressed in his speech? How much threat and anger are present in these statements?
All these questions will be raised in this article to try to elucidate them thanks to the opinion of the analyzes, of a semiologist and of a professor of constitutional law, from the last visit of the President of the Republic Kais Saïed to the building materials company in Fouchena.
Terms Said used inciting anger and threat
In the dismissal of Governor Ben Arous, expressions such as “I have terminated his functions, pending the appointment of a new governor devoted to the people and not to the smugglers” cannot go unnoticed.
In a statement to “JDD Tunisia”, the professor of political discourse analysis at the Institute of Press and Information Sciences, Dr Saloua Charfi explained that to say that one needs a governor devoted to the people and not to smugglers is accusation without evidence. Because, she stressed, it is the role of justice to intrude such accusations and not the role of the president.
She added: “Kais Saïed’s speech calls for the use of force. Indeed, since his disagreement with Mechichi, Kais Saïed’s speech has hardened. He spoke for three or four months in the dark room where plots are brewing. After July 25, there is a change of degree, but not a change of nature. It should be mentioned, in this case, that inciting words and accusations are not a new practice for Saied ”.
Kais Saïed and hugs: a new practice?
Taking a look at the photos published in the official page of the Presidency of the Republic on Facebook, Friday August 20, 2021, we cannot but pay attention to a photo which represents Kais Saïed giving a hug to a little girl. of infancy.
Hugs are not a new practice for Kais Saïed. In several visits, the president does not miss an opportunity to do so with citizens and more specifically with young people and children.
According to a semiologist, who refused to reveal his name, “this practice is not used, only, by Kais Saïed. Indeed, French presidents Jacques Chirac and Emmanuel Macron also had recourse to hugs. It aims to reflect the image of the father and protector of the people. “But, it should be noted, that this gesture is in contradiction with the health measures facing the pandemic which must be taken into consideration”
Behind the actions of Kais Saïed
The Presidency has released a 2.05-minute video depicting Saied’s unannounced visit to the building materials company in Fouchena.
By analyzing the non-verbal language of Kais Saïed and trying to understand the meaning of his gestures, that of the removal of the bib with “force” and the point of the finger on the employee (from minutes 0.33 to 0.43 ) and towards the camera at minute 1.35 can only capture our attention.
In the same context, the semiologist clarified that one “can speak of three essential elements in the analysis of the non-verbal language of Kais Saïed during this visit: anger, threat and incitement to force. Indeed, when he takes off his bib in this way, you can’t help but understand that he’s nervous. Although there are simply legal proceedings, the president is acting with coercion.
The speech is spontaneous, even improvised, because the president is simply not looking at the camera. He only looks at the citizens he talks to.
He added: “If you compare Kais Saïed’s speech before and after July 25, it cannot be denied that there is a big change. Before, the president was cold and spoke in a very formal way. During his last speeches, we feel that he wants to show that he is closer to the people and that there is no hierarchical relationship between the president and the Tunisians. In other words, he wants to give the impression that he is part of the people. But the intro music for the Kais Saïed videos needs to be changed, from my perspective as there is a contrast between the piano music used soft and calm and the content that is mainly threatening. ”
Between those who think that Saied’s speech is improvised and those who think that it is studied, between those who see that there is a radical change and those who believe that he has just changed degree, our analysis is is based. An analysis that dealt with both verbal and non-verbal language. But it should be mentioned that, in order to better understand Saïed’s “new” speech, we must wait for the president’s next steps and statements.
Rifi-JDD
