Tunisia electoral commission has shown controversy by approving only three candidates for the upcoming presidential election. The commission approved President Kais Saied, his ally Zouhair Magzhaoui, and Ayachi Zammel as candidates. The election will take place on October 6. The exclusion of 14 other candidates has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures and political analysts.
Zammel, who leads the Azimoun party, is not seen as a significant political figure. The rejection of key candidates like Mondher Znaidi, Imed Daimi, Abdel Latif Mekki, and others has also led to accusations of electoral manipulation. The disqualified candidates claim the Interior Ministry withheld essential criminal record details required for their candidacy.
Critics argue these actions resemble Tunisia’s pre-revolution era, where elections were also mere formalities under authoritarian rule. Farouk Bou Asker, head of the Tunisia electoral commission, defended the rejections, citing the candidates’ failure to secure necessary citizen endorsements.
Opposition parties and human rights groups have condemned these measures as “arbitrary restrictions” and intimidation aimed at securing Saied’s re-election. Concerns grew after a court sentenced four potential candidates to eight months in prison for vote-buying, disqualifying them from running. Safi Said, one of the disqualified candidates, withdrew, calling the election a “one-man show,” further highlighting the contentious process.
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