President Kais Saied has dismantled the democratic system in Tunisia and strengthened his own power. But he has no solution for the economic misery. It would be best if he cleared the way for a fresh start.
President Kais Saied wanted a parliament according to his ideas, but not even 9 percent of the voters followed him to the polls.
Voter turnout was record-breakingly low. More than 90 percent of voters stayed away from the polls in Tunisia on Saturday – out of apathy or protest. Only 8.8 percent of voters exercised their right to vote in the parliamentary elections. That’s less than any other election in the North African country since the fall of long-time ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali 12 years ago. It’s also less than almost any other election in the world in recent years.
Many voters deliberately stayed away from the polls after President Kais Saied changed the electoral law and weakened parliament. They followed the opposition’s call for a boycott, which accuses Saied of dismantling democracy. In fact, with the July constitutional reform, the President not only stripped the legislators of their immunity, but also their right to control the government and remove the President.
But many Tunisians simply didn’t know who to vote for. Since party lists are not permitted under the new electoral law, many voters were unclear as to what the candidates stand for. Very few were known to the public. In some constituencies there were only one or two candidates to choose from – in others none at all. There was practically no election campaign.
Many Tunisians are disappointed with democracy
But this alone cannot explain the record low turnout. Probably the most important reason for this was the political apathy that has gripped Tunisian society in recent years. Many have been disillusioned with the experience since the 2011 Arab Spring. A majority have turned their backs on politics altogether, giving up hope that voting in elections can change their situation. In a July study, 70 percent of respondents in Tunisia said democracy was the reason for the poor economic situation.
In fact, the economic misery has only deepened under the changing coalitions. It was no consolation for many Tunisians that they had more freedom than under Ben Ali. After all, they didn’t take to the streets in 2011 primarily because they thirst for democracy and freedom of expression, but because they wanted bread, work and dignity. Elections and free press had been preserved, but everyday life had only become more difficult.
In this situation, the longing grew for a strong man who would do everything. This is the only way to explain the enthusiasm of many citizens when President Saied suspended parliament in July 2021 and seized power. However, there were doubts from the start that this 64-year-old law professor would be the savior of the nation. The constitutional lawyer has a great sense of mission, but neither political experience nor economic expertise.
Saied also has no solution to the crisis
A year and a half after he came to power, Tunisians are grappling with the rapidly rising cost of living. Poverty is spreading, many foods are scarce. The country urgently needs a new loan from the International Monetary Fund, but the latter postponed the decision after the election. Saied is not the cause of the misery, but his radical restructuring of the system offers no solution and weakens the state’s ability to act.
How the country can get out of this crisis is uncertain. After the election, the opposition called on Saied to resign. She sees the record low turnout as proof that Saied and his political project have lost all legitimacy. A resignation of the president, a return to the old constitution and new elections could actually offer a way out of the crisis. However, the new constitution does not provide for the possibility of removing the president. So it’s up to Saied himself to pave the way for a fresh start.