Tunisian President Kais Saied has secured a second term with an overwhelming 90% of the vote, according to the electoral commission. However, the election has been marred by criticism from rights groups and opposition parties.
Election Controversy
Only two candidates were allowed to run against Saied, with his closest challenger, Ayachi Zammel, winning 7% of the vote despite being sentenced to 12 years in prison just days before the poll. Voter turnout was low, with only 29% of registered voters participating.
Authoritarian Concerns
Saied’s re-election has raised concerns over his increasingly authoritarian style of governance. Since taking office in 2019, he has suspended parliament, rewritten the constitution, and concentrated power in his hands.
Rights Groups Criticize
Amnesty International has denounced a “worrying decline in fundamental rights” under Saied’s government. The president has dismissed criticism, claiming he is fighting “corrupt elite” and “traitors”.
Tunisia’s Democratic Backsliding
Tunisia, once hailed as a beacon of democracy in the Arab world following the 2011 uprising that ousted autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, has witnessed a significant erosion of democratic institutions under Saied’s rule.
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