TUNIS — Tunisian President Kais Saied issued a decree to call voters to a referendum on a new constitution on July 25, the official gazette said.

Saied last week named law professor Sadok Belaid to head an advisory committee to draft a new constitution for a "new republic," excluding political parties from restructuring the political system.

Belaid said earlier on Wednesday he would go ahead with whomever participates in the panel after prominent academics refused to join it, raising fears the restructuring of the political system would not have a broad consensus.

The only question on the referendum will be: "Do you agree with the new constitution?" the gazette said.

The gazette added that polling will start at 6 a.m. and end at 10 p.m. on July 25.

Saied, who took executive power and dissolved parliament to rule by decree, has since said he will replace the democratic 2014 constitution with a new constitution via referendum and hold new parliamentary elections in December. — Agencies