Tunisian President Kais Saied has announced plans to amend the constitution and form a new government months after he dismissed the prime minister and suspended parliament.

Speaking to two TV stations after an evening stroll through the heart of the capital on Saturday, Saied said he would form a new government "as soon as possible" after selecting "the people with the most integrity". But he declined to give a specific timeline.

Saied also said it was necessary to change the constitution.

"The Tunisian people rejected the constitution," he said, while adding that the charter is "not eternal".

"We can introduce amendments to the text," he said.

Saied on July 25 froze parliament for 30 days, lifted parliamentary immunity and sacked the prime minister as well as other top officials.

His intervention came amid mounting economic and public health concerns triggered by one of the world's worst outbreaks of Covid-19.

Tunisia was the birthplace of the Arab Spring revolts a decade ago and had often been described as the Arab world's biggest success story in transitioning to democracy.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online