An election banner for Tunisian President Kais Saied is seen in Tunis as the country approaches its presidential elections. With Saied’s primary opponents either imprisoned or excluded from the ballot, he faces minimal resistance in his bid for re-election. This upcoming election marks the third since the 2011 protests that led to the downfall of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the first autocrat to be ousted during the Arab Spring uprisings that also affected Egypt, Libya, and Yemen.
While international observers previously deemed the last two elections to be democratic, recent arrests and the actions of an election authority appointed by Saied have raised concerns about the fairness of this race. Many opposition parties are urging a boycott of the elections. Once viewed as the Arab Spring’s success story, Tunisia has struggled to maintain its democratic gains amid a faltering economy, political infighting, and instances of violence and terrorism.
In 2019, Saied, a political outsider, won his initial term by promising a “New Tunisia,” focusing on empowering youth and local governance. This election offers insight into public sentiment regarding the state of Tunisia’s democracy since Saied assumed power. While his supporters appear steadfast, he lacks affiliation with any political party, leading to uncertainty about the depth of his support among the populace.
This is Saied’s first presidential election since he dramatically altered Tunisia’s political landscape in July 2021 by declaring a state of emergency, dismissing his prime minister, suspending parliament, and rewriting the constitution to strengthen his own authority. His actions sparked outrage among pro-democracy groups and opposition leaders, who labeled them a coup. Despite the discontent from established political figures, voters backed Saied’s new constitution in a low-turnout referendum the following year. In the ensuing months, authorities have arrested critics including journalists and politicians, accusing them of threatening state security and breaching a contentious anti-fake news law perceived to suppress dissent.
