Tunisia’s electoral authority announced on Monday that only three candidates, including the current President, Kais Saied, are eligible to run in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for October 6. The decision marks a significant moment in Tunisia’s ongoing political tensions, with only Ayachi Zammel, a businessman, and Zouhair Maghzaoui, a former left-wing parliament member, joining Saied in the race.
The announcement, however, was quickly overshadowed by the arrest of Ayachi Zammel shortly after the confirmation of his candidacy. Zammel, who leads a small pro-business party, is now under investigation for allegedly falsifying signatures of registered voters. This follows the arrest last month of the treasurer of Zammel’s former political party on similar allegations.
Initially, 17 individuals had intended to run for the presidency, but the electoral authority’s ruling has sharply reduced this number. The electoral decision also goes against a previous ruling by Tunisia’s highest administrative court, which had called for the inclusion of three other candidates, who were initially disqualified. The electoral commission, however, rejected their reinstatement, citing that it did not receive the court’s ruling within the required legal timeframe.
Farouk Bouaskar, president of the electoral commission, argued that the disqualified candidates lacked necessary endorsements and had not paid the required financial deposit of 10,000 dinars (approximately 3,000 euros). Critics, however, accuse the commission of making a politically motivated decision to limit the opposition.
The exclusion of key political figures has raised serious concerns about democratic erosion in Tunisia. Among those barred are Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Destourian Party who is currently imprisoned, and Abdellatif Mekki, a former member of the Islamist party Ennahda, both of whom had submitted their candidacies.
Observers are particularly alarmed by these developments as Tunisia’s campaign season is set to begin on September 14. Many fear that the electoral process is being manipulated to consolidate power in the hands of President Saied. Since taking office, Saied has been criticized for his actions, which include suspending the parliament, rewriting the constitution to solidify his authority, and imprisoning political adversaries.
Protests erupted outside the electoral commission’s office following the announcement, with demonstrators from various NGOs and opposition parties voicing their discontent over the exclusion of candidates. Faycel Bouguerra, a spokesperson for the administrative court, criticized the commission’s decision, noting on local radio Diwan FM that it is unprecedented for the court’s rulings to go unimplemented.
Meanwhile, President Saied’s recent actions continue to reshape Tunisia’s political landscape. In recent months, he has replaced most of his cabinet and ordered the arrests of key opposition figures, which many critics see as politically motivated moves to stifle dissent. However, a significant number of Tunisians remain supportive of Saied, drawn to his populist rhetoric against corruption and foreign interference in domestic matters.
The upcoming election is expected to be a crucial test for Tunisia, a country that was once seen as a beacon of democratic progress in the region following the Arab Spring a decade ago. As the electoral process unfolds, the international community and Tunisians alike are watching closely to see whether the country will continue to uphold democratic values or drift further towards authoritarianism.
