Local elections in Tunisia: A crucial issue for the future of the country
Tunisia is preparing to experience a crucial moment in its history with the local elections which will be held this Sunday. These elections, the first since the adoption of the new constitution by President Kais Saied last year, aim to determine the composition of a new National Council of Regions and Districts. The council is part of Saied’s vision to reshape politics in Tunisia, the country that sparked the regional uprisings known as the Arab Spring twelve years ago.
The new Legislative Council is designed to focus on economic development, and candidates have campaigned on radio on building schools, roads and other infrastructure. This echoes Saied’s campaign promise to distribute power and funds away from the Tunisian capital. Tunis is synonymous with a widely criticized government bureaucracy, whose unpopularity contributed to Saied’s rise.
However, despite the promised transformation, there are few signs of enthusiasm about the elections and their ability to turn Tunisia around. In last year’s parliamentary elections, just 11% of voters turned out to vote, despite growing concerns about the country’s political and economic problems.
Tunisia recently adopted a new budget without major reforms that could strengthen the economy or attract foreign lenders. The country maintains price controls and subsidies for flour, electricity and fuel. This even though reducing public spending on subsidies is one of the reforms that the IMF requested in exchange for a $1.9 billion loan.
“The government is not fulfilling its responsibilities regarding subsidies, which explains the shortage of products,” said Aram Belhadj, professor at the Tunis School of Economics and Management. Despite political apathy, he noted that, in the face of shortages, people had begun to pay more attention to budget issues.
Without reforms, rating agency Fitch recently confirmed its assessment that Tunisia is at high risk of default, with a rating of CCC-, noting that it “does not expect reforms to progress in 2024, in the context of the presidential elections”.
The problems are obvious, but there is little recognition among voters that the elections were held. They come more than two years after Saied suspended the country’s parliament and months after he dissolved municipal councils, further dismantling systems put in place after the 2011 revolution.
This decision has sparked outrage among Saied’s opponents since July 25, 2021, when he consolidated his power, froze parliament and fired the prime minister. Since then, he has imprisoned dozens of business and political critics, including Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the Ennahda political party, which came to power after the revolution of the previous decade.
Ennahda is one of the parties which will boycott the elections. The party is part of the National Salvation Front coalition which is also boycotting, as are the Tunisian Workers’ Party and the Free Destourian Party, whose leader Abir Moussi was imprisoned on October 3 for allegedly undermining the security of the state.
“The political and social climate is not conducive to holding these local elections, which do not respect international standards of democracy,” said Ahmed Chebbi, the leader of a major coalition of opposition parties during a press conference in November.
Apart from the boycotts, Fadil Alireza, a non-resident researcher at the Middle East Institute, said Tunisians had gradually become disillusioned with the idea that elections lead to better living conditions.
“People are showing up, making promises about what they are going to do and saying that Tunisia will be better. The fact that we have seen a constant decrease in purchasing power and a deterioration of services – health, education, transport. .. – breeds disillusionment,” he said.
The ISIE, the Independent Electoral Authority in Tunisia, sends frequent SMS messages to remind voters of the importance of voting. Mohamed Tlili Mnasri, a spokesman for the authority, said there had been few notable irregularities and that the authority was working to educate voters about the role of the local Legislative Council.
In conclusion, these local elections in Tunisia are of capital importance for the country. They offer an opportunity to revitalize politics and address the country’s economic concerns. However, the lack of enthusiasm and boycotts of some political parties reflect a certain disillusionment and loss of confidence in the political system. Tunisia faces major challenges and these elections can be a first step towards positive change.