(3 minutes read)
Tunisians are going to the polls on Saturday, December 17 to vote in parliamentary elections. Parties opposed to President Kais Saied are boycotting the poll alleging that it would not be free and fair. The country’s parliament last convened in July 2021
Tunisians are going to the polls on Saturday, December 17 to vote in parliamentary elections. Parties opposed to President Kais Saied are boycotting the poll alleging that it would not be free and fair. The country’s parliament last convened in July 2021. In March of this year, the president had dissolved the parliament and assumed to himself sweeping powers, on the plea that the moves were necessary to save the country amid a protracted political and economic crisis. Many Tunisians welcomed this, but critics feared the power grab jeopardizes Tunisia’s young democracy.
Under new rules, foreign media are forbidden to talk to candidates so as not to give any individual an undue advantage. The parliamentary election sees significant changes to previous polls. The number of seats in parliament was reduced from 217 to 161, so also the powers of the legislators, which the opposition feels, are restrictions imposed on democratic institutions.
Previously, lawmakers were selected through party lists. But Saturday’s poll candidates will stand for single constituencies where they must win a simple majority or face a run-off vote in a month’s time. Some voters say that directly choosing their lawmakers will lead to greater accountability.
Read Also:
https://trendsnafrica.com/tunisian-educated-youth-emigrating-to-germany/
https://trendsnafrica.com/cactus-also-flowers-enriching-impoverished-tunisian-farmers/
Tunisia is also facing an economic crisis along with political uncertainty staring at the North African country. The rising cost of living is the most glaring one. Many opposition parties are boycotting the polls. Tunisia’s opposition accuses Saied of having designed the electoral law to promote the emergence of a subservient parliament. The president’s supporters deem the measures taken since 25 July 2021 necessary to get the country out of the economic and social crisis during the decade since the ouster of the former dictatorial regime of president Ben Ali.
