In the recent Tunisian presidential election, President Kais Saied’s landslide victory with 90.7% of the votes has sparked controversy and accusations of election fraud. With a voter turnout of only 28.8%, the lowest since the country’s transition to democracy in 2011, many Tunisians expressed discontent over what they deemed a rigged election process. Out of 17 potential candidates, only two, including Saied, were allowed to run, with serious rivals being banned or imprisoned.
Critics have likened the election results to those seen during the rule of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia’s former autocratic leader. The European Union and various NGOs have raised concerns over the lack of credibility and transparency in the electoral process, with accusations of the electoral authority favoring Saied. Social media users condemned the alleged dictatorial turn in Tunisia and the role of international actors in enabling authoritarianism in exchange for cooperation on migration issues.
As Saied’s opponents face imprisonment, concerns grow over a potential escalation in repressive measures. The election results have raised fears of increased crackdowns on dissent in Tunisia.
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