Tunisia: legislative elections marked by a very low turnout

A polling station in Tunis during the second round of legislative elections, January 29, 2023. © AFP - FETHI BELAID

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Very few Tunisians turned out on Sunday January 29 to elect a Parliament devoid of real powers, inflicting a new disavowal on President Kaïs Saïed and the political reforms he has imposed since his 2021 coup, in a country above all concerned about its economic problems.

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The president of the Isie electoral authority, Farouk Bouasker, announced a provisional turnout of 11.3% in the second round of legislative elections, compared to a preliminary figure of 8.8% in the first round.

نسب الاقبال الأولية للدورة الثانية لانتخابات أعضاء مجلس نواب الشعب بعد غلق جميع مراكز الاقتراع 🇹🇳🗳 #isie #tnleg22

— ISIE (@ISIETN) January 29, 2023

Participation was the main issue in the ballot after an abstention of almost 90% in the first round, a record since the advent of democracy in the cradle country of the Arab Spring 12 years ago.

The young people who brought Kaïs Saïed to power in 2019

with just under 5% of voters aged between 18 and 25.

The election of 131 deputies (out of 161 seats, 30 of which have already been filled) represents the final stage of the process launched 18 months ago by President Kaïs Saïed to return to a hyper-presidentialist system, similar to that before the revolution. of 2011 and the fall of dictator Ben Ali.

Considering the country ungovernable, Kaïs Saïed seized all powers on July 25, 2021, then revised the Constitution last summer to abolish the hybrid parliamentary system in force.

Experts attributed

.

First, despite strong divisions that prevent it from mobilizing in the street, the opposition, including Ennahdha, the Islamist-inspired party that has dominated Parliament over the past decade, boycotted a ballot marking, according to it, the culmination of a “coup” by Kaïs Saïed.

Another factor: the majority of the candidates were unknown and without political affiliation.

It's true that when elections of this magnitude are held, we would absolutely like to take part in them and vote, but there really we have no choice.

There's not really anyone to vote for, not really someone who speaks to represent us, so there's no point in going there.

Report: Why didn't Tunisians turn out for this election?

Amira Souilem

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