President Kais Saied is on track to win the Tunisian presidential election with 89.2 percent of the vote amid low turnout. Concerns arise over his authoritarian rule and the exclusion of opposition candidates, raising questions on the legitimacy of the electoral process. Rights groups fear that his re-election may deepen existing socio-economic challenges in Tunisia, which emerged as a democracy following the Arab Spring.
The incumbent President of Tunisia, Kais Saied, is poised to secure a significant victory in the presidential election, with exit polls indicating he received 89.2 percent of the vote despite a notably low voter turnout of only 27.7 percent. His primary opponents, imprisoned rival Ayachi Zammel and Zouhair Maghzaoui, garnered only 6.9 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively, according to the independent polling agency Sigma Conseil. Saied’s re-election is viewed with concern by rights organizations, as it could further solidify his authoritarian grip on power, following a series of unprecedented power consolidations since he assumed office in 2019. The Tunisian electoral board, ISIE, reported approximately 9.7 million eligible voters in a nation with a population around 12 million. Detractors assert that the election suffered from diminished legitimacy, particularly due to the exclusion of 14 potential candidates from the race, which critics attribute to technicalities and insufficient endorsements. Political analyst Hatem Nafti emphasized that the vote’s credibility is undermined by the systematic sidelining of significant challengers, pointing out that candidates capable of contesting Saied’s authority were effectively barred from participating. In light of these developments, some Tunisians expressed skepticism about the electoral process and criticized the lack of independent oversight, fueling fears of potential electoral fraud. Saied has publicly condemned foreign influence, vowing to eliminate corruption and conspiracies in the governance of the country. Some observers caution that a renewed mandate for Saied might exacerbate Tunisia’s existing socio-economic challenges and advance the regime’s authoritarian tendencies. Protests have erupted, with demonstrators describing Saied as a “Pharaoh manipulating the law,” reflecting growing public dissent against his administration.
In the aftermath of Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, which led to the ousting of long-standing dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the country emerged as a beacon of democratization following the Arab Spring. However, following his election in 2019, President Kais Saied began consolidating power, enacting reforms that critics argue undermine the democratic foundation established after the revolution. His tenure has been marked by a crackdown on dissent, evident in the imprisonment of several political opponents and restrictive electoral processes, prompting fears regarding the future of democracy in Tunisia.
The impending re-election of Kais Saied is marked by overwhelmingly high approval rates according to exit polls, but it raises significant concerns surrounding the democratic legitimacy of the electoral process. Rights organizations and political commentators warn that Saied’s growing authoritarianism could worsen Tunisia’s socio-economic situation and further jeopardize the democratic gains made since the 2011 revolution. The low voter turnout and systemic exclusion of opposition candidates pose critical questions about the true representation of the Tunisian electorate’s will in this election.
Original Source: www.france24.com
