President Kais Saied was poised Monday to win Tunisia’s election by an enormous margin, although low voter turnout mirrored widespread discontent within the cradle of the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings.
Three years after Saied staged a sweeping energy seize, rights teams concern his re-election will entrench his grip on energy in the one democracy to emerge from the 2011 protests.
Exit polls confirmed Saied, 66, anticipated to rout his challengers with 89 p.c of the vote.
His imprisoned rival Ayachi Zammel trailed far behind with simply 6.9 p.c, whereas Zouhair Maghzaoui was anticipated to win simply 3.9 p.c, in keeping with exit polls broadcast on nationwide tv on Sunday.
However with turnout at solely 27.7 p.c of the practically 10 million eligible voters, in keeping with the ISIE electoral authority, critics stated the low participation mirrored a widespread sense of disillusionment with the vote.
– Birthplace of the Arab Spring –
After the ouster of longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, Tunisia prided itself on being the birthplace of the regional revolts towards authoritarianism that grew to become referred to as the Arab Spring.
However the nation’s path modified dramatically after Saied’s election in 2019. Two years later, he dissolved parliament, and after that, he rewrote the structure.
Turnout was down dramatically on the 58 p.c when Saied was first elected 5 years in the past and is the bottom the nation has recorded in a presidential vote because it ousted Ben Ali.
“I did not vote yesterday, just because I now not believe and I’m determined,” stated Houcine, 63, giving just one title for concern of retribution.
“The vote’s legitimacy is undoubtedly tainted with candidates who might have overshadowed (Saied) being systematically sidelined,” stated Hatem Nafti, a political commentator and creator of a forthcoming guide on the president’s authoritarian rule.
Nafti stated Saied “retains his electoral base however has misplaced practically one million votes” in comparison with 2019, when he received in a landslide with 73 p.c of the vote.
The ballot was extensively shunned by younger folks, with solely six p.c of voters aged 18 to 35, stated ISIE.
– ‘Battle towards conspiracy’ –
However for supporters of Saied, the exit polls prompted celebration on Sunday night time, with a whole lot taking to the streets of Tunis.
“I voted yesterday, and the outcomes are wonderful, every part goes very nicely, the ambiance is nice,” stated Mounir, 65.
“What we want now could be a drop in costs. We would like higher schooling, well being and above all security.”
Saied has been extensively anticipated to win since he barred 14 candidates from becoming a member of the race, permitting solely two challengers, Zammel and Maghzaoui, to face towards him.
Zammel, a little-known liberal businessman, has been behind bars since his bid was accepted by the ISIE in September. He faces greater than 14 years in jail for forging endorsements.
Maghzaoui, a supporter of Saied’s energy seize, is essentially seen as a non-threat to the incumbent.
Total, rights teams have condemned a democratic backsliding lately.
Based on New York-based Human Rights Watch, greater than “170 persons are detained in Tunisia on political grounds or for exercising their elementary rights”.
– ‘Conspiratorial forces’ –
Different jailed figures embody Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Islamist-inspired opposition social gathering Ennahdha, which dominated political life after the revolution.
Additionally detained is Abir Moussi, head of the Free Destourian Celebration, which critics accuse of eager to carry again the regime that was ousted in 2011.
Forward of the vote, Saied referred to as on Tunisians to “vote massively” to usher in what he referred to as an period of “reconstruction”.
He cited “a protracted conflict towards conspiratorial forces linked to overseas circles”, accusing them of “infiltrating many public companies and disrupting a whole lot of tasks” below his tenure.
Ben Ali and different Arab leaders usually cited overseas conspiracies to justify their crackdowns on dissent.
The Worldwide Disaster Group assume tank has stated that whereas Saied “enjoys important assist among the many working lessons, he has been criticised for failing to resolve the nation’s deep financial disaster”.
Celebrating the exit polls at his marketing campaign’s workplace within the capital, he warned of “overseas interference” and pledged to “construct our nation and we’ll rid it of the corrupt and conspirators”.
Analyst Nafti stated Saied will use re-election as a carte blanche for additional crackdowns and to “justify extra repression”.
“He has promised to eliminate traitors and enemies of Tunisia,” he stated. “He’ll harden his rule.”
