Clothes, carpets, crafts ... In the Medina district, the oldest part of Tunis, the inhabitants came to refresh themselves and shop in the maze of narrow streets protected from the overwhelming Tunisian heat. On the eve of the legislative elections on October 6, when seven million Tunisians are called to ballot to elect the 217 deputies of the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP), the eyes are turned away and faces are clenched at the mention of politics.
Rather than answering questions on the subject, customers prefer to go their way or suddenly get excited about the local pastries, hot makroudhs, offered by vendors on their stalls. Merchants pretend to be busy despite empty shops. After a first round of presidential elections marked by abstention - nearly 55%, the legislative seem to attract little interest. In the image of Faouzia, middle-aged teacher:
"This is the total blur these elections.There are too many lists, we do not know them and we do not understand anything, we should boycott them," exclaims the Tunisian. "I'm not going to vote, this whole political class, I do not trust him anymore, they have not done anything since 2011."
In the middle of shops, the Tunisian claiming his intention to vote is a rare commodity. It is necessary to seek in this labyrinth, at the same time market and popular souk, to unearth it. Mohammed, 45, is one of them. Since the revolution, this clothing merchant has been voting for every election. And he intends to go to the polls, Sunday, for the legislative and October 13 for the second round of the presidential election.
"We only vote every five years, I want to give my opinion, if I do not go, I'll regret it," says the trader, wearing a blue work. "Many criticize this second round of presidential elections between Kais Saeid and Nabil Karoui, but for me, there are two people who can make things happen in Tunisia."
"It's a good sign for democracy to have so many different proposals"
This duel between the conservative constitutionalist and the media mogul, currently on remand for money laundering, is more popular with the crowd than the election. It must be said that among the 15,000 candidates declared spread over 1,500 lists for only 217 seats in the Assembly of People's Representatives, Tunisians feel lost in their choice.
Yet, on paper, the legislative represent a poll much more important than the presidential one in the measure that Tunisia is a parliamentary system. According to the constitution, the president has little power while the party that will be majority Sunday will govern the country for the next five years.
For Mohammed, 23, a perfume salesman in a small family business, this multiplicity of possibilities is a good thing; "It's a good sign for democracy to have so many different proposals," he says between two demonstrations of his business to sell small vials of essential oils that, in his words, compete with the greatest fragrances French brands.
Easy to say for him who will not have to decide. Indeed, the young man has missed the registration on the electoral lists despite the intensive campaign of Isie, the independent body organizing the elections, to enroll forceps almost 1.5 million new citizens on the lists. He regrets it. He thinks the new government will have a lot to do to solve Tunisia's problems, starting with the economy.
Problems that will only be solved in the long term
"Ten years ago, a banana was worth a dinar, today it's seven. Everything has become expensive," he ignores before the approving eye of his uncle who will not go to vote either. "We should end the corruption of civil servants too, there are too many administrative obstacles for those who want to be entrepreneurs, but all these are not problems that the next government will be able to change. years."
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Despite the social and economic crisis in the country and the desertion of tourists, some of the traders still want to believe. Like Djamel, 47, a carpet seller in a craft group in the heart of the Kasbah. He wants to believe that Tunisia will manage to overcome this democratic sluggishness. And that the solutions will be put in place in the long term.
"I'm going to vote, it's important, people are angry with politics and want everything right now, if we want it to change, we have to vote, especially in the legislatures that are very important in our system," he said. in the middle of artisan carpets imported from the four corners of the Maghreb. "Change takes time, the Tunisian democracy is young, it learns little by little", he concludes, philosopher.