Tunisia's voter turnout barely above 10%

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Jan 23:43

887,638 out of more than 7.8 million registered voters had taken part in the poll, according to the head of the ISIETN, Farouk Bouasker.

A Tunisian votes in the second round of the legislative elections in Tunis, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023 (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)

With a turnout of only 11.3 percent in the second round of parliamentary elections, it is unclear where Tunisia's future is heading in sight.

It is barely above the rate of 11.2 percent which was announced in the widely boycotted first round of parliamentary elections on December 17, 2022.

887,638 out of more than 7.8 million registered voters had taken part in the poll, according to the head of the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIETN), Farouk Bouasker.

The low turnout should be a cue for President Kais Saied to step down in light of his "exceptional measures" which granted him far-reaching authority over the Parliament and other institutional bodies, the main opposition coalition said during the first round.

Since July 2021, Saied has taken a number of measures which included dismissing the government, dissolving the Judicial Council, freezing the works of parliament, issuing legislations by presidential decrees, adopting a new constitution through a referendum on July 25, and rescheduling parliamentary elections.

Saied has pushed through a new constitution giving the presidency almost unrestrained powers and laying the ground for a 161-seat legislature.

In Tunisia's former constitution, the legislature had broad powers under the mixed presidential-parliamentary system. Candidates in this election, however, are running as individuals under a system that delegitimizes political parties, including the opposition.

Some argue that the latest turnout is regarded as the final straw of Saied's reforms.

Earlier this month, protests were held in Tunis by demonstrators demanding that President Kais Saied leave office and put an end to the "coup".

National Salvation Front (NSF) Chairman Ahmed Najib Chebbi who was one of the organizers of the rally said that the coup has destroyed the economy, and persecuted Tunisians and that there is an imminent need for Saied to leave office.

“The coup has destroyed the state and its institutions and manipulated the state Treasury,” Makhlouf said adding “We will continue to oppose these measures until the end of the coup and the return of democracy.”

The country has been facing similar strikes lately as it struggles with an economic crisis causing recurrent lack of basic necessities such as petrol and cooking oil.

The IMF announced earlier in October reached an agreement with Tunisia to support its economy with $1.9 billion as the country's debts surpassed its GDP.

In July 2021, Tunisian President Kais Saied took exceptional measures and suspended Parliament, prompting the government to ask the IMF for its fourth bailout.

Upon a call made by the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), workers from the government-owned transport company Transtu walked out while hundreds gathered to protest outside the office of the prime minister.