Cairo: The next presidential election in Tunisia will take place on October 6, according to incumbent Tunisian President Kais Saied’s decree.
“On July 2, 2024, President of the Republic Kais Saied issued a decree to invite voters to the presidential election on October 6, 2024,” the decree, published by Saied’s office on Tuesday, read.
Saied has been in office since 2019 and can run for second term.
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.
