Tunis: Tunisia’s President Kais Saied, who has been in office since 2019, has announced his candidacy for a second term.
The next presidential election in Tunisia will take place on October 6.
“I officially announce my candidacy for the October 6 presidential election in order to keep up the fight in the battle for national liberation,” Saied said in a video released by his office.
On July 25, 2021, Saied dismissed the government and suspended the parliament against the background of mass protests against the parliament and Tunisia’s Islamic party Ennahda, caused by the deterioration of living conditions. In March 2022, the president dismissed the parliament, saying he was doing it “to protect the government and its institutions.”
Early parliamentary elections were held in Tunisia between December 2022 and January 2023. The voter turnout was as low as 11%, and the opposition boycotted the elections. In July 2022, the opposition also boycotted a referendum on amendments to the constitution, while 94.6% voted in favor of Tunisia’s draft new constitution, with a voter turnout of only 27%. Amendments to the constitution gave the head of state significantly more powers compared to the 2014 constitution.
