Tunisia’s parliament was scheduled to vote on a key amendment to the electoral law on Friday, just nine days before the presidential election, which opposition groups warn could further entrench President Kais Saied’s authoritarian grip on power.
The proposed legislation removes the Administrative Court’s authority to handle electoral disputes. With an assembly elected in 2022 on a low 11% turnout after Saied dissolved the previous parliament, the bill is expected to pass.
Opposition political parties and civil society groups have called for protests near parliament to oppose the bill.
The Administrative Court, seen as Tunisia’s last independent judiciary body, has come under pressure after Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council and removed numerous judges in 2022.
Earlier this month, the court ruled that disqualified presidential candidates should be reinstated, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the upcoming Oct. 6 election.
The commission, however, ignored the court’s ruling and has permitted only two candidates to oppose Saied.
Lawmakers justified the bill by claiming that the Administrative Court was no longer impartial and could invalidate the election, leading to chaos and a constitutional crisis.
Critics contend that Saied is manipulating the electoral commission and judiciary to suppress competition and intimidate opponents, while he maintains that he is combating traitors, mercenaries, and corruption.
Elected in 2019, Saied gradually consolidated power and began ruling by decree in 2021, a move the opposition calls a coup.
Last week, presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel received a 20-month prison sentence for falsifying endorsements, with an additional six months added on Wednesday for document forgery.
Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party, has been jailed since last year on charges of endangering public security, while another politician, Lotfi Mraihi, was sentenced earlier this year for vote-buying in 2019.
Each had declared plans to run in October but were unable to submit their applications from prison.
In August, another court sentenced four more potential candidates to prison and issued lifetime bans on their candidacies.
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