Tunisia’s electoral commission had on Monday, rejected an administrative court ruling reinstating three presidential election candidates. This move is also reinforcing the fears of opposition that the commission was looking to favour incumbent leader, Kais Saied.
Defying the highest judicial body, the commission approved only the candidacies of President Saied and two others, Zouhair Magzhaoui and Ayachi Zammel, for the upcoming October 6 contest, adding that the electoral campaign will begin on September 14.
With this development, decision the credibility of the vote could be shaken and further destabilise the political crisis that has been on the rise since 2021, when Saied strengthened his grip on all powers and began ruling by decree in a move the opposition had described as a coup.
Last week, the administrative court, –the highest judicial body that judges electoral disputes– reinstitute three prominent candidates, Mondher Znaidi, AbdelLatif Mekki and Imed Daimi, to the election race after the electoral commission had dismissed their candidacy filing.
