Three candidates, including President Saied, were selected for the presidential election without much suspense.

There are three candidates on the starting line for Tunisia’s presidential election scheduled for October 6. The Independent High Authority for Elections announced on Saturday, August 10, the acceptance of the candidacies of outgoing President Kais Saied, Zouhair Maghzaoui (59 years old), a former MP who advocates Arab nationalism, and Ayachi Zamel himself, a former MP and leader of a small, little-known party.

As for the other 14 disqualified candidates – who can still file appeals – the head of the Independent High Authority for Elections, Farouk Bouasker, confirmed that they have no right to appeal. “Not enough care has been collected”.

The path to the presidential election was fraught with pitfalls for rivals to Mr. Saied, 66, who is seeking a second term, experts say. Candidates had to secure the support of 10 parliamentarians, 40 local elected officials or 10,000 voters, at least 500 per constituency, a huge number according to many experts.

The Independent High Authority for Elections also requested a criminal record extract (B3) proving the absence of convictions. Several candidates complained of administrative obstruction in obtaining sponsorship forms in addition to the B3. Mr. Bouasker confirmed this.“No application has been rejected due to B3”.

“witch hunt”

In addition, a number of potential candidates, including party leaders such as Issam Chebbi and Ghazi Chaouachi, are in prison on charges of conspiring against the state. They are part of a group of around twenty opposition figures, businessmen and former ministers who were arrested in February 2023 on charges of conspiring against state security, in what was denounced as an investigation. “witch hunt” By Amnesty International.

After being democratically elected in 2019, Mr. Saied seized all powers during the coup of July 25, 2021, by amending the constitution to replace the parliamentary system in place with an extreme presidential system in which parliament has virtually no powers. According to his opponents, the head of state has dismantled most of the balancing institutions created since the advent of democracy and the fall of the Ben Ali dictatorship in 2011.

“It's a pre-scheduled election.”Tunisian analyst Hatem Nafti told AFP that Mr. Maghzaoui supported Mr. Saied's coup three years ago. Even if he had “A little more famous” Mr. Zamel, according to Mr. Al-Nafti, is considered “An opposition from within, particularly critical of the lack of social and economic results.” And the presidential record. “It doesn't stand a chance because people always prefer the original to the copy.”The analyst added.

As for the other applicant, Mr. Zamel, “Not well known”According to Mr. Nafti's estimate“We have already decided the election issue by eliminating all competitors who have a chance.”.

Kais Saied's “One Man Show”

Among the serious candidates who were rejected, experts and the media regularly cited the name of Mondher Zenaidi, a former minister in the Ben Ali regime, who the opposition may have been rallying behind, Mr. Nafti says.

The candidacy of the opposition, Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Destourian Party, which claims to be the legacy of the dictators Habib Bourguiba and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was also rejected.^I Moussa has been detained since October, mainly on charges of conspiring against the state.

Retired admiral and former national security adviser Kamel Akrout, who withdrew his candidacy at the last minute, denounced what he described as “Lack of equal opportunities and obstacles aimed at excluding candidates in favor of only one”.October 6 elections “It will be little more than a formality that will serve no purpose other than to give an illusion of legitimacy to political failure, unprecedented economic collapse, abject poverty and diplomatic isolation.”criticize.

On Friday, political activist and writer Safi Saeed, also seen as a serious challenger to Mr. Saeed, announced his surrender, failing to collect enough signatures. “The rules of the game are unclear”believing that it is “He almost went on a one-man show.” By Mr. Saeed.