Tunisia experienced widespread public disapproval during the local elections on December 24, particularly as citizens largely rejected the initiative to establish a second parliamentary chamber.
The opposition views these elections as another move in President Kais Saied’s authoritative governance.
With only 11.66% voter turnout, as reported by the Independent High Authority for Elections (Isie), out of 9 million eligible voters, the elections indicate a significant lack of public engagement.
Since July 25, 2021, President Saied has been consolidating powers, culminating in a constitutional amendment through a 2022 referendum, resulting in a two-chamber Parliament.
The first chamber, the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP), with limited powers, took office in 2023 after legislative elections were boycotted by the opposition and saw a meager 11% turnout.
The investiture of the second chamber is scheduled for June 2024, involving a complex process of local ballots and draws.
The Council will play a crucial role in deciding on the state budget and regional development projects.
On Sunday, Tunisians were called to elect over 2,000 local councillors, and while most polling stations in central Tunis were open from 08:00 to 18:00 local time, they reported low turnout, according to AFP.
What are the people saying?
“I have never seen such a low turnout for elections held in Tunisia since 2011,” the year that marked the start of the Arab Spring, the president of a polling station in Tunis told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“I understand the people who are shunning these elections”, Salah Habib, a man in his sixties who has just “voted to mark my presence”, told AFP.
“I didn’t understand anything about this election and I don’t want to understand anything,” said Nadia Majer, a 23-year-old student leaving a gym.
When will the results be announced?
The Isie will announce the preliminary results of the first round on 27 December. The second round is scheduled for February.
The opposition has called for a boycott of this “illegal” vote, which it claims was “imposed” by President Said to complete his “authoritarian” process.
Since February, the authorities have imprisoned more than twenty opponents, including the leader of Ennahdha, Rached Ghannouchi, and the co-founder of the National Salvation Front – the main coalition of opponents – Jawhar Ben Mbarek, as well as former ministers and businessmen.
More than 260 prominent Tunisians have signed a nationwide petition opposing a “pointless” election, saying that those in power “continue to implement their political project imposed on Tunisians”.
According to the signatories, the purpose of these elections is to “weaken local power, disperse it and turn it into another docile instrument in the hands of the executive”.