Tunis, Tunisia - October 7, 2024 - Current President Kais Saied has reportedly won the presidential election in Tunisia, securing 89.2% of the votes against his rivals, former ally Zuheyr el-Mağzavi and imprisoned businessman Ayaşi Zamal. However, voter turnout was notably low, with only 27.7% of the 9.7 million eligible voters participating, a significant drop from the 49% turnout in the 2019 elections.
In his first statement following the unofficial results, Saied criticized 'foreign influences' and claimed that the election was a continuation of the revolution aimed at cleansing the country of corruption and betrayal. Supporters gathered in the capital, Tunis, to celebrate, chanting slogans about building and development.
Contrarily, the campaign teams of el-Mağzavi and Zamal disputed the results, asserting that they do not reflect the truth and that official results would differ. The official results are expected to be announced on Monday.
Tunisia is considered the only success story of the Arab Spring revolutions that began in 2011. Observers note that Saied's presidency, which started in 2019, has seen the erosion of many democratic gains, including the principle of separation of powers. His dissolution of the elected parliament in 2021 and subsequent constitutional changes have been labeled a 'coup' by the opposition. Prominent opposition leaders have faced imprisonment in recent years, and several candidates were barred from running in the elections for various reasons, sparking significant backlash from civil society.
According to the International Crisis Group, while Saied enjoys substantial support among the working class, he has been criticized for failing to address the country's deep economic crisis, which includes the highest unemployment rate in the region at 16%. The government has also accrued billions in debt to international actors.