As Saied begins new term as president, Tunisians brace for unstable governance
In a second presidential term, Tunisia’s increasingly autocratic ruler is unlikely to secure the political and economic stability the country craves.
Despite Kais Saied securing reelection in Tunisia’s recent presidential poll, his second five-year term is unlikely to bring governing stability to the North African country.
According to the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), the 66-year-old Saied, a former law professor, secured 90.7% of the vote in the Oct. 6 election. Yet, due to skewed electoral laws and political repression, only two out of the total 12 declared presidential candidates were allowed to run against Saied. A mere 28.8% of the country’s 9.7 million eligible voters participated, the lowest turnout in any election since Tunisia’s 2011 revolution.
Political tensions, mixed with ongoing economic and budgetary constraints, will keep the government busy. But Saied’s own volatile and often inscrutable management style will likely add to the governance challenges.
His first presidential term, which began in 2019, was marked by erratic government turnover. Most of it began after his July 2021 constitutional coup, in which Saied closed down parliament and fired the whole cabinet.
