Tunisian President Kais Saied is set to win re-election on Sunday with little to no opposition following the imprisonment of his major rivals. The upcoming election has raised concerns about its fairness, with opposition parties calling for a boycott. Saied, who came into power promising a “New Tunisia,” has faced criticism for his crackdown on migrants and dissenting voices. The EU, focused on curbing migration, has largely remained silent on the potential democratic backsliding in Tunisia.
Saied’s consolidation of power, including a rewrite of the constitution and arrests of his critics, has led to accusations of a coup and a decline in democratic participation. Despite economic challenges and a stalled IMF bailout package, Saied’s economic strategy remains unclear, leading to uncertainty among investors. The country’s high unemployment rate and reliance on multilateral lenders continue to plague its economy.
The opposition’s inability to challenge Saied in the upcoming election has raised doubts about its legitimacy, with many key figures, including the leader of the Islamist Ennahda party, imprisoned or prevented from running. The National Salvation Front, a coalition of secular and Islamist parties, has denounced the election as a sham.
As Tunisia’s democratic trajectory hangs in the balance, Sunday’s election will serve as a test of popular opinion amid concerns about political repression and economic instability. The EU’s focus on migration has overshadowed concerns about Tunisia’s democratic backsliding, leaving many to question the future of the country’s fledgling democracy.
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