By Summary
- Main rival was jailed last month
- Rights groups say Saied has undone democratic gains
- Saied says he is fighting a corrupt elite
TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisians voted on Sunday in an election in which President Kais Saied is seeking a second term, with his main rival suddenly jailed last month and most opponents imprisoned or barred from running.
People stand in a queue outside a polling station during the presidential election in Tunis, Tunisia October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi.
Sunday’s election pits Saied against two rivals: his former ally turned critic, Chaab Party leader Zouhair Maghzaoui, and Ayachi Zammel, who had been seen as posing a big threat to Saied until he was jailed last month. Tunisia had for years been hailed as the only relative success story of the 2011 “Arab spring” uprisings for introducing a competitive, though flawed, democracy after decades of autocratic rule.
Tunisia’s President Kais Saied prepares to vote during presidential election in Tunis, Tunisia October 6, 2024. Tunisian Presidency/Handout via REUTERS.
However, rights groups now say Saied, who has been in power since 2019, has undone many of those democratic gains while removing institutional and legal checks on his power. Saied, 66, has rejected criticism of his actions, claiming he is fighting a corrupt elite and traitors, and that he will not be a dictator. Senior figures from the biggest parties, which largely oppose Saied, have been imprisoned on various charges over the past year and those parties have not publicly backed any of the three candidates in Sunday’s election. Other opponents have been barred from running.
“The scene is shameful. Journalists and opponents in prison, including one presidential candidate. But I will vote for change,” said Wael, a bank employee in Tunis, who gave only his first name.
The Election Commission reported a 14% voter turnout by 1 p.m., with just under 10 million Tunisians eligible to vote. Polls are scheduled to close at 6 p.m. (1700 GMT), and results are expected to be announced within the next two days.
Tunisian presidential candidate Zouhair Maghzaoui votes at a polling station during the presidential election in Tunis, Tunisia October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi.
Political tensions have risen since an electoral commission, appointed by President Kais Saied, disqualified three prominent candidates last month, amid protests by opposition groups and civil society organizations. In a further move, lawmakers loyal to Saied passed a law last week that stripped the administrative court of its authority over election disputes. This Court is widely seen as the Tunisia’s last independent judicial body, after Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council and dismissed dozens of judges in 2022.
In the years immediately after the 2011 revolution, elections were fiercely contested and drew very high participation rates. However, widespread public dissatisfaction with Tunisia’s poor economic performance and corruption among the elite has since led to growing disillusionment. Saied, elected in 2019, seized most powers in 2021 when he dissolved the elected parliament and rewrote the constitution, a move the opposition described as a coup.
A woman walks past a poster depicting presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel, hanging on his party’s Azimoun headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui.
A referendum on the new constitution passed with a low turnout of just 30%, while a January 2023 runoff for the new, nearly powerless parliament he created with that constitution had an even lower turnout of only 11%. Despite this, President Kais Saied still commands support.
“Saied is the first president who fought corrupt politicians and influential businessmen, so we will elect him and renew our support for him,” said Salem Lahmar, a fruit seller.
Although tourism revenues are on the rise and there has been financial help from European countries worried about migration, Tunisia’s state finances remain strained. Shortages of subsidized goods are common, as are outages of power and water.
A person has indelible ink applied to his finger as he votes at a polling station during the presidential election in Tunis, Tunisia October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi.
