Feminists, politicians and activists decry the Tunisian president’s new electoral law and system, saying it is anti-democratic and undermines the advances made in recent years for women and youth.

Among the growing wave of demonstrations against President Kais Saied’s recent draft electoral law is a coalition of 12 women’s and civil society groups, which last week denounced the electoral law that allows only individual candidates to be elected. They say the new system marginalizes women in political life, rolling back the gains women have made not just since the 2011 revolution, but since the establishment of the republic in 1956.

The coalition calling itself Feminist Dynamism demonstrated in front of the Higher Electoral Authority in Tunis Oct. 7 to decry not only the new electoral system as disadvantaging female candidates, but also the appointment of an election commission to manage the elections. In a Facebook statement Oct. 6, they said, "[The election commission] is not representative of all segments of the Tunisian society as its structure is dominated by men, and seeks to exclude women from the entire electoral process."

Feminist Dynamism stated that not only will the new election decree Law 55 “undermine their right to participate in political life and manage public affairs,” flaws in the new system would open the door to corruption such as nomination buying that will further marginalize women and youth.