Tunisia - August 2024

In August, the Tunisian Administrative Court reinstated to the presidential election three prominent candidates who had previously had their candidacies rejected by the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE). Out of a total of 17 candidates that submitted applications to the ISIE for running in the election, only two, along with incumbent President Kais Saied, were initially approved based on qualification requirements. According to ISIE, the rejected candidates were disqualified over alleged failure to secure the required endorsements from citizens. Seven prospective candidates have been arrested, sentenced to eight months in prison (without enforcement) and banned for life from running for elections for allegedly falsifying endorsements and vote buying. Another candidate was jailed and also banned for alleged vote buying in the 2019 elections. Among the 14 candidates who were rejected, former ministers Abdellatif Mekki and Mondher Zenaidi and former MP Imed Daimi successfully appealed the ISIE’s decision, with the Administrative Court ruling in their favor on 27, 29, and 30 August, respectively. This reinstatement increases the total number of candidates from three to six, with no women among the qualified candidates.

Sources: Reuters (1), Reuters (2), The New Arab, The Guardian