When Saied didn't show up for almost two weeks, people who were against him thought he was sick.

Tunisian President Kais Saied appeared in a video that was posted on his official Facebook page. 

He called rumors about his health that he hadn't been seen in public for almost two weeks "crazy."

"These people deserve nothing but contempt," Saied said of his political opponents in the video posted late on Monday.

The main opposition coalition in the North African country had asked the government to explain Saied's "public absence" because it knew he was sick.

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"The president is gone for two or three days because he has a cold, and that becomes a problem, a power vacuum?" Saied asked.

Posts on Facebook, which is the only official way for the presidency to talk to the public, said that Saied, who is 65, had not been seen in public or held any meetings since March 22.

There were rumors about Saied's health because he didn't say anything or post any videos.

The president, who was speaking with Prime Minister Najla Bouden, said that the reports showed "a level of madness that Tunisia has never seen before."

Earlier on Monday, Ahmed Nejib Chebbi of the National Salvation Front opposition coalition told reporters, "We ask the government to talk to the Tunisians and tell them if the president is sick and can't be there because of it."

Chebbi said that Bouden would run Tunisia if there was a short-term power void, but that a permanent vacancy would be a "great catastrophe" for the country because there wouldn't be anyone to pass laws.

In his video, Saied said that people who were not named were "trying to make crises" by talking about a lack of power.

In July 2021, Saied pulled off what his opponents called a "coup" when he shut down parliament and fired the government. Since then, he has ruled by decree. Last year, he pushed through a new constitution that gives his office unlimited power and makes parliament useless.

Since February, security forces have arrested more than 20 well-known people, including some of the opposition's most important leaders.

People who are being targeted include members of the once-powerful Muslim Democrat Ennahdha party and political activists, as well as lawyers, businessmen, and the head of a popular radio station that is known for letting people criticize the president.

Saied has said in public that they were planning to hurt the government and has called them "terrorists."

Also on Monday, the president of Tunisia told his foreign ministry to start the process of appointing a new ambassador to Syria. This comes almost a decade after the war in Syria caused Tunis to cut diplomatic ties with Damascus.

Since becoming president, Saied has shown signs that he is willing to change course and make peace with Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES