Home Northern Africa Tunisian Court Allows Opposition Leader to Contest Coming Presidential Election

Tunisian Court Allows Opposition Leader to Contest Coming Presidential Election

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Tunisian Court Allows Opposition Leader to Contest Coming Presidential Election

(3 Minutes Read)

Opposition parties, politicians, and human rights groups have accused the authorities of using “arbitrary restrictions” and intimidation to help ensure the re-election of incumbent President Kais Saied.

Tunisia’s administrative court upheld the appeal of Tunisian opposition politician, Abdellatif Mekki to resume his bid for presidency. Earlier, the electoral commission had excluded the prominent politician because he lacked popular endorsements for his candidacy.

But the court’s decision means Mekki, who leads the Action and Achievement Party, will now be added to the list of accepted candidates. He founded the organization in 2022 after leaving the Islamist Ennahda party and still enjoys widespread support among its followers. Mekki’s campaign manager, Ahmed Nafati, says Tuesday’s decision highlights the integrity of the administrative court.

Opposition parties, politicians, and human rights groups have accused the authorities of using “arbitrary restrictions” and intimidation to help ensure the re-election of incumbent President Kais Saied. They say the electoral commission is not neutral and is seeking to eliminate all serious competitors to pave the way for Saied’s victory, an accusation the body denies.

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https://trendsnafrica.com/tunisian-president-undertakes-massive-reshuffle-of-cabinet-before-general-election/

In 2021, Saied dissolved parliament and took control of all powers in a move described by the opposition as a coup. As reported by www.trendsnafrica.com earlier, the presidential poll is expected to take place on 6 October.