Tunisia President Kais Saied Poised for Reelection Amid Ongoing Repression

The presidential election in Tunisia, scheduled for Sunday, is expected to be a one-sided contest in favor of incumbent President Kais Saied. Despite a dozen initial hopefuls, only two additional names, including Ayachi Zammel, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison just days before the poll, were approved for the ballot. Observers note that Saied has consolidated power and bent the country's institutions to his will since his election in 2019. The electoral commission has approved over 9.7 million people to vote, but many key contenders, including some who are critical of Saied, are behind bars. The opposition argues that this election could be the last gasp of democracy in Tunisia, a country that was seen as a model for democratic change in the Middle East following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. The lack of a strong opposition has led to concerns about the legitimacy of the election and the erosion of civil liberties under Saied's rule.