Tunisia is gearing up for a controversial presidential election on October 6, with opposition critics claiming that the process is rigged in favor of incumbent President Kais Saied, which could spell the end of the country’s democracy. Only two candidates have been approved to run against Saied, including Zouhair Magzhaoui, who is seen as a paper candidate supportive of the President, and Ayachi Zammel, the jailed leader of the liberal Azimoun party.
Zammel, who has been sentenced to prison on multiple charges, insists that the accusations against him are politically motivated. Many other prominent politicians hoping to challenge Saied have been either jailed or barred from running by the supposedly independent electoral commission ISIE, which critics claim has become an extension of the presidency under Saied’s reforms since 2021. The recent electoral turmoil and the undermining of independent judicial oversight have led to public protests in Tunis calling for free and fair elections.
President Saied, who had no prior political experience before his election in 2019, has consolidated power through wide-reaching reforms and cracking down on opposition, particularly targeting members of the Ennahdha Party. Rights groups have criticized his administration for its crackdown on civil society and the treatment of migrants and refugees.
Despite being imprisoned, Zammel remains on the ballot, while Magzhaoui, a supporter of Saied, has defended the President’s actions and criticized political Islam. With widespread public disillusionment, controlled media, and a limited field of candidates, few expect Sunday’s election to result in anything other than another victory for Saied.
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