Kais Saied Secures Second Term in Tunisia Amid Opposition Crackdown and Low Voter Turnout

Tunisia’s President Kais Saied secured a decisive re-election victory, as announced on Monday. The campaign period was marked by the imprisonment of his opponents, journalists, activists, and lawyers.

The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) reported that Saied received 90.7% of the votes in Sunday’s election. This result reflects the participation of his supporters, while many of his critics chose to abstain from voting.

Businessman Ayachi Zammel, who was Saied’s closest competitor, garnered 7.4% of the vote. Zammel spent most of the campaign season in jail due to multiple election-related charges. Voter turnout was reported at 28.8%, significantly lower than in previous elections. This election marks Tunisia’s third presidential race since the 2011 Arab Spring, which led to the ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Tunisia’s Political Landscape and Repression
Following the Arab Spring, Tunisia adopted a new constitution and established a multiparty democracy. However, President Saied began dismantling these institutions two years into his presidency. In July 2021, he declared a state of emergency, suspended parliament, and rewrote the constitution to increase presidential power.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *