Tunisia’s parliament was poised to vote on a significant amendment to the electoral law on Friday, just nine days ahead of a presidential election that opposition groups fear will consolidate President Kais Saied’s authoritarian rule. The proposed bill removes the Administrative Court’s authority to oversee electoral disputes. Given that the current parliament was elected in 2022 with only an 11% turnout following Saied’s dissolution of the previous assembly, the amendment is expected to pass.
The Administrative Court is regarded as the last independent judicial body in Tunisia, especially after Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council and dismissed numerous judges in 2022. As the vote approached, police erected iron barriers around the parliament, while protesters gathered with placards accusing the government of orchestrating the “Assassination of Democracy” and organizing a “Rigged election.” Chants of “Dictator Saied… your turn has come!” echoed from the crowd.
Civil rights activists and opposition parties, including the Free Constitutional Party—whose leader is currently imprisoned—have called for protests on Saturday. “We are witnessing the capture of the state just days before the vote,” said political activist Chaima Issa. “We are at the height of absurdity and one-man rule.”
Earlier this month, the Administrative Court ordered the electoral commission to reinstate disqualified presidential candidates, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the October 6 election. However, the commission defied the ruling, permitting only two candidates to run against Saied. Lawmakers defended the bill, arguing that the Administrative Court was no longer neutral and could annul the election, potentially leading to chaos and a constitutional crisis.
Critics claim that Saied is manipulating both the electoral commission and the judiciary to ensure victory by suppressing competition and intimidating his opponents. Saied, on the other hand, asserts that he is combating corruption, traitors, and mercenaries.
Saied was democratically elected in 2019, but then tightened his grip on power and began ruling by decree in 2021 in a move the opposition has described as a coup.
Presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel was sentenced last week to 20 months in prison on charges of falsifying popular endorsements, and to a further six months on Wednesday on charges of falsifying documents.
Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party, has been imprisoned since last year on charges of harming public security. Another prominent politician, Lotfi Mraihi, was jailed this year on charges of vote-buying in 2019.
Both had said they would run in October, but were prevented from submitting their applications from jail.
Another court jailed four other potential candidates in August and gave them lifetime bans from running for office.
