Voters in Tunisia continue to cast their ballots in the first legislative elections since President Kais Saied announced exceptional measures on July 25, 2021.

The Supreme Elections Authority said that nearly 400,000 voters had cast their ballots as of Saturday noon.

The voting of Tunisians abroad ends today, while the electoral track was suspended in 7 constituencies abroad, due to the lack of candidates running for the electoral race.

1058 candidates, including 120 women, are competing in these elections for 161 seats, of which 10 seats are reserved for Tunisians abroad.

Most of the candidates are independents who are not known for previous political activity, while others belong to parties that support President Saeed's measures.

The elections are taking place in light of an economic crisis and a boycott by a wide spectrum of parties. They are also taking place under a new constitution that granted broad powers to the president and reduced the powers of Parliament.

It will not be possible to announce the final composition of Parliament before the middle of next March, according to the electoral law, which requires that the candidate obtain an absolute majority of the votes of the voters of his constituency, that is, 50% plus one;

This will force a number of them to run for a second round.

Tunisian President Kais Saied considered the legislative elections a historic opportunity for change, and to cut off the way for those who appointed themselves guardians of Tunisia, as he put it.

While casting his vote, Saeed called on citizens to actively participate in the elections.

He added that the next parliament should work to meet the social and economic demands of Tunisians.


Participants and Participants

Several parties announced their boycott of the legislative elections within the new path announced by Tunisian President Kais Saied.

The list of those boycotting this election includes various political entities.

Such as the National Salvation Front, which is made up of a number of political parties and civil bodies, including the parties of the Ennahda Movement, the Heart of Tunisia, the Dignity Coalition, the Tunisian Irada Movement and the opposition Amal Movement party;

In addition to the coordination of social democratic parties, which consists of 5 leftist, democratic and social parties;

They are the Democratic Current, the Republican Party, the Democratic Bloc, the Labor Party, and the Qutb Party.

The Free Destourian Party and the Afek Tounes Party announced their boycott of these elections.

On the other hand, both the People's Movement Party and the Popular Current Party support the July 25 path, since the announcement of the exceptional measures.

Election monitoring

The Elections Authority said that a delegation from the Civil Chamber in Russia will participate in monitoring the elections at the invitation of the authority, and a delegation from the African Union will participate in the monitoring process.

The commission indicated that the African Union delegation considered its participation a reflection of the importance the union attaches to Tunisia and its experience in the democratic transition, she said.

On the other hand, the European Parliament decided not to send a mission to monitor these elections, and said that its decision was based on the decision of the African Court of Human Rights, the report of the Venice Commission, in addition to the political and social developments in the country.

Al-Tilili Al-Mansari, a spokesman for the Independent High Authority for Elections in Tunisia - said - in an interview with Al-Jazeera - that the authority was hoping for the participation of international observers, adding that the European Union's decision not to send observers to the parliamentary elections will not change the strategy of the commission in assigning accreditation to those who wish from among the observers. According to legal conditions.

Regarding accusations of lack of impartiality against the Tunisian Electoral Commission, Al-Mansari said that the commission is far from political tensions.

On July 25, 2021, President Said announced the exceptional measures in the country in order to correct the course of the revolution and combat corruption and chaos in state institutions, he said.

He froze parliament before dissolving and suspending the 2014 constitution and other constitutional and legal bodies, and fully bringing the executive and legislative powers into his hands.