Tunisia’s parliament is set to vote on a significant amendment to the electoral law on Friday, just nine days before the presidential election, raising concerns among opposition groups regarding the potential strengthening of President Kais Saied’s authoritarian rule. The proposed bill aims to strip the Administrative Court of its authority to resolve electoral disputes, which critics argue could undermine the election’s integrity.
The amendment is likely to pass in an assembly that was elected in 2022 with only an 11% voter turnout, following Saied’s dissolution of the previous parliament and the subsequent boycott by opposition parties. Civil society and political opposition groups have called for protests near the parliament in response to the legislation.
The Administrative Court is perceived as the last independent judicial body in Tunisia, especially after Saied’s actions in 2022, which included disbanding the Supreme Judicial Council and dismissing numerous judges. Recently, the court ordered the electoral commission to reinstate disqualified presidential candidates, raising questions about the legitimacy of the upcoming election on October 6.
Despite the court’s ruling, the electoral commission has allowed only two candidates to run against Saied. Supporters of the new bill argue that the Administrative Court has lost its neutrality and could potentially annul the election, leading to chaos and a constitutional crisis.
Opposition figures accuse Saied of using the electoral commission and judiciary to suppress competition and intimidate rivals. Saied, who was elected in 2019, has tightened his grip on power, ruling by decree since 2021, a move the opposition has condemned as a coup.
In recent developments, presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel received a 20-month prison sentence for allegedly falsifying endorsements, followed by an additional six months for document forgery. Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party, has been imprisoned since last year on charges related to public security, while another prominent politician, Lotfi Mraihi, was jailed this year for vote-buying allegations from 2019. Both had intended to run in the upcoming election but were barred from submitting their candidacies while incarcerated. Additionally, four other potential candidates were sentenced to prison in August and given lifetime bans from running for office.