A Tunisian court has handed down a 20-month prison sentence to presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel, intensifying concerns among opposition leaders about the integrity of the upcoming election, which many fear could be engineered to secure President Kais Saied’s continued rule.
Zammel, the leader of the opposition Azimoun party, was arrested two weeks ago on charges of falsifying voter signatures on his candidacy papers. He has vehemently denied the accusations, calling them a fabrication by Saied’s administration to suppress his presidential run. As the country gears up for the October 6 election, political unrest has grown, especially after Saied’s electoral commission disqualified three high-profile candidates. The decision has sparked widespread protests from opposition parties, civil society groups, and legal experts, who have condemned the move as undemocratic.
The electoral commission, which was appointed by Saied, has been accused of acting in favor of the president. Despite a ruling from Tunisia’s highest administrative court, the commission approved the candidacies of only three individuals: President Saied, Zammel, and Zouhair Magzhaoui, who is widely viewed as a political ally of Saied. The exclusion of other potential contenders has raised alarm bells about the legitimacy of the electoral process, with opposition groups warning that this could lead to a rigged election.
Zammel’s lawyer criticized the court’s ruling as politically motivated, suggesting that it is part of a broader strategy to weaken Zammel’s candidacy and reduce competition. “This verdict is designed to sabotage his presidential run,” the lawyer stated, expressing concern over what he called a lack of fairness in the judicial process. Legal and political analysts echoed these sentiments, pointing out that the commission’s decision to disregard the administrative court’s ruling sets a dangerous precedent for the future of Tunisia’s democracy.
The political landscape in Tunisia has been increasingly polarized since President Saied was elected in 2019. In 2021, Saied began ruling by decree after dissolving parliament, a move that his critics have labeled a coup. Since then, his administration has faced accusations of authoritarianism, with critics accusing him of consolidating power and undermining democratic institutions. Opposition leaders claim that Saied is using state mechanisms, including the electoral commission, to eliminate competition and secure his re-election. However, Saied has denied these claims, stating that his actions are aimed at rooting out corruption and protecting Tunisia from internal threats.
The crackdown on opposition figures ahead of the election has also drawn significant attention. Several prominent opposition leaders, including Abir Moussi, head of the Free Constitutional Party, and Lotfi Mraihi, were imprisoned before they could officially declare their candidacies. Moussi, who has been in jail since last year, was charged with endangering public security, while Mraihi was accused of vote-buying during the 2019 election. Both have been barred from participating in the upcoming vote.
Additionally, a court recently sentenced four other presidential hopefuls to prison and imposed lifetime bans on their participation in future elections. This series of arrests and convictions has heightened fears that the election may be heavily skewed in Saied’s favor, leaving little room for genuine competition.
As Tunisia approaches a critical election, the country finds itself at a crossroads. With growing political tensions, mounting protests, and concerns over democratic backsliding, the October election will serve as a key test of Tunisia’s commitment to democracy. Whether the election results will be seen as legitimate remains to be seen, but for now, the opposition continues to express its alarm over what it sees as an orchestrated effort to suppress dissent and ensure President Saied’s uncontested re-election.
