TUNIS: Tunisian President Kais Saied appeared in a video posted Monday on his official Facebook page, dismissing 鈥渕ad鈥� reports over his health following almost two weeks with no public engagements.
The North African country鈥檚 main opposition coalition had pressed the government earlier to explain Saied鈥檚 public 鈥渁bsence,鈥� saying it had information that he was sick.
鈥淭hese people deserve nothing but contempt,鈥� Saied said in the video, referring to his political rivals.
鈥淭he president is absent for two or three days, he gets a cold and that becomes a problem, a power vacuum?鈥�
Saied, 65, had not appeared in public or held any meetings since March 22, according to posts on Facebook 鈥� the presidency鈥檚 only official channel of communication.
The lack of statements or videos has sparked rumors over the state of Saied鈥檚 health.
Speaking alongside Prime Minister Najla Bouden, the president said the reports reflected 鈥渁 level of madness never seen before in Tunisia.

Earlier on Monday, Ahmed Nejib Chebbi of the National Salvation Front opposition coalition told journalists: 鈥淲e ask the government to address the Tunisian people and say if the president has health problems that have forced him to be absent.鈥�
Chebbi said Bouden would run Tunisia in the event of a temporary power vacuum, but that a permanent vacancy would present the country with a 鈥済reat catastrophe鈥� due to a legislative void.
In his video, Saied accused unnamed people of 鈥渢rying to create crises鈥� by talking of a power vacuum.
鈥淭hese people have lost the plot, they鈥檙e obsessed with power,鈥� he said.
Saied, who staged a dramatic power grab in July 2021 and has since ruled by decree, last year rammed through a constitution giving his office unlimited powers and neutering parliament.
Since February, security forces have arrested over 20 public figures, including top members of the opposition.
Those targeted include members of the once-powerful Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party and political activists, as well as lawyers, businessmen and the head of a popular radio station known for giving a platform to criticism of the president.
Saied has publicly alleged they were plotting against the state and labelled them 鈥渢errorists.鈥�