The main coalition of opponents in Tunisia called on Sunday (January 29th) to form a united political and trade union front to oust President Kais Saied after a record abstention rate during an election to elect the new Parliament.
The National Salvation Front (FSN) has called on other opposition parties, civil society and the powerful UGTT trade union center to "
work hand in hand to create change through the departure of Kais Saied and going to an early presidential election.
".
Read alsoIn Tunisia, dispassionate legislative elections
According to Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, president of the FSN, which includes the Islamist-inspired party Ennahdha, the meager turnout of 11.3% - preliminary figures - announced for the second round of legislative elections on Sunday, "
proves once again the failure total
” by Kais Saied.
This means that "
nearly 89% have turned their backs on this play and refused to participate in the
political process" of Kais Saied.
A record abstention
The first round had already been marked by an abstention of almost 90%, a record since the advent of democracy in the cradle country of the Arab Spring where some polls brought together up to 70% of voters in the last decade.
The election of 131 deputies (out of 161 seats including 30 already filled in the first round) represents the final stage of the reforms imposed for 18 months by President Kais Saied to return to a hyper-presidentialist system, similar to that before the 2011 revolution and the fall of dictator Ben Ali.
Read alsoTunisia: thousands of demonstrators against President Saied and the shortages
Experts have explained the low attendance by various factors including a call for a boycott of the poll by the main political parties.
Despite deep divisions that prevent it from mobilizing in the street, the opposition unanimously denounced a process described as a "
coup d'etat
" and a "
dictatorial drift
" by Kais Saied.
Another reason: the majority of the candidates were unknown and without political affiliation.
The few voters therefore made personal choices, the older ones saying above all “
fulfilling their electoral duty
”.
Considering the country ungovernable, Kais Saied seized all powers on July 25, 2021, then revised the Constitution last summer to abolish the hybrid parliamentary system in force.
Growth is sluggish, unemployment high (more than 15%) and more than 32,000 Tunisians emigrated illegally last year.
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