To participate or not: that is the question currently facing opposition parties in Tunisia. On Tuesday, July 2nd, Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed announced that the first round of the presidential election would take place on October 6th.
President Saïed, who came to power by a significant margin in 2019, has faced accusations of authoritarianism over the past three years. With major opposition figures imprisoned, political parties are weighing the pros and cons of their involvement in the election.
For the National Salvation Front, the answer is clear: they will not participate. This main opposition coalition, which spans from Islamists to center-left factions, rejects participation in what they deem a rigged election. Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, the Front’s president, stated, “The National Salvation Front believes that the conditions for a fair competition are not met. The Front will not support any candidacy, whether from within or outside its ranks, because participating would mean endorsing a sham election.”
At the opposite end of the political spectrum, the Free Destourian Party, which attracts many nostalgic for the Ben Ali regime, might consider a bold move by nominating its leader, Abir Moussi, who has been imprisoned since last autumn. The party is expected to announce its decision on Friday.
Political analyst Hatem Nafti is certain that the election campaign will not be impartial. “We have an electoral body clearly appointed by the President of the Republic. This body did not sanction the president when he blatantly violated the electoral silence during the 2022 referendum. Additionally, the media is increasingly under pressure and operating in a climate of fear. Given these conditions, I do not see how we can expect a calm election with genuine public debate,” he explained.
The situation highlights the deepening political divide in Tunisia and raises concerns about the integrity of the upcoming presidential election. As opposition parties grapple with their choices, the path to a fair and transparent electoral process remains uncertain.