Despite opposition concerns, Tunisian President Kais Saied states he wants to run for a second term.
Publically stating he wants to compete for a further five-year term in the October election is Tunisia’s president, Kassim Saied. Saied made his comment since the opposition is somewhat concerned about the fairness and reliability of the electoral procedure.
Tunisian President Kais Saied declares his candidacy for a second term in a video released by his office.
In a video his office posted on Friday, Saied stated, “I officially announce my candidacy for the October 6 presidential election in order to keep up the fight in the battle for national liberation.” 66-year-old President Ben Ali announced from Tataouine, southern Tunisia, that he was fulfilling the “country’s sacred call,” why he had to seek for a second term.
Saied has governed by order since July 2021, after suspending parliament. Many people both inside and outside Egypt have attacked this. People worry about the situation of democracy in Tunisia since some have accused him of dictatorship and that he is seeking control.
The opposition has been somewhat loud about its grievances, claiming that current events cannot continue as they are to prevent free and fair elections. They wish the administration to stop pressuring the media and for those imprisoned legislators to be released. They claim that without these adjustments, the credibility of the election process cannot be safeguarded.
Saied mentioned these concerns in his speech and requested “everyone preparing to sponsor [candidates] to stay away from any corruption.” Things are still tight in politics even if he advocated fair elections.
National Call: President Kais Saied cites the “country’s sacred call” as his reason for running for a second term.
Lotfi Mraihi, leader of the opposition Republican Union party, was sentenced eight months on Friday morning for vote purchase. Tunisian media claims Mraihi was also informed he would never be able to run for president once again. This fresh discovery has strengthened the arguments of the opposition about a distorted playing field and court misuse.
At the same time Saied is seeking a second term, Tunisia is experiencing political and economic crises. Starting with the revolution that ousted long-standing leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, the nation’s democratic path seems to be losing strength. People are even more concerned about a return to authoritarianism because of Saied’s acts, including his decision to replace the Supreme Judicial Council with a temporary body he oversees.
The manner Tunisia’s administration is running concerns human rights organizations and foreign observers. They wish actions to be done to guarantee open, fair, and free future elections. The already challenging political situation in Tunisia becomes even more complex with the awareness of the rest of the world.
Tunisia will be the focal point as the election date approaches to observe developments. Apart from the lot Saied and his government have at stake, the future of democracy in the nation also depends on it. The next several months will be crucial for determining if Tunisia can solve its present issues and remain faithful to the democratic values that brought about its revolution more than ten years ago.
Lotfi Mraihi, head of the opposition Republican Union party, faces legal action as Saied announces his re-election bid.
At last, the political debate in Tunisia has become more intense with President Kais Saied declaring he is seeking a second term. The opposition is concerned about the fairness of the elections; courts have lately sued politicians. This leaves somewhat uncertain the path to the October election. Making sure that the elections are fair and that democratic values are maintained in Tunisia depends on the whole attention of the globe.