Tunisia’s Kais Saied Wins Landslide Victory in Presidential Election

Tunisia’s political landscape has shifted dramatically with President Kais Saied’s re-election.

The incumbent secured a resounding victory, garnering 89.2% of the votes in the recent presidential election. This outcome has solidified Saied’s grip on power and raised questions about Tunisia’s democratic future.

The election, held on October 6, 2024, saw a low voter turnout of 27.7%, a significant decline from the 45% participation in 2019’s first round. Despite reduced engagement, Saied’s victory was decisive against his two opponents.

Ayachi Zammel, a 47-year-old liberal industrialist, secured 6.9% of the votes. Zouhair Maghzaoui, a 59-year-old former deputy from the pan-Arab left, received 3.9%.

These results were reported by the Sigma Conseil Institute and broadcast on national television. Saied’s path to victory began in 2019 when he first assumed the presidency.

In July 2021, he dissolved the democratically elected parliament, consolidating his power. He later introduced a new constitution expanding presidential powers while reducing institutional checks and balances.

Saied’s Leadership and Economic Challenges

The election process has come under scrutiny. The election commission restructured under Saied’s control in 2022, and approved only three candidates, compared to 26 in 2019.

Many opposition figures are currently imprisoned on various charges. Tunisia’s economic challenges have persisted under Saied‘s leadership.

Unemployment remains high at around 16%, and food inflation is approximately 10%. The country has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels of real GDP.

Exit polls revealed strong support for Saied across all education levels and genders. He received 90.1% of votes from those without formal education and 86.1% from university-educated voters.

Gender-wise, 88.3% of male voters and 90.4% of female voters supported Saied. The international community is closely monitoring these developments in Tunisia, once hailed as the Arab world’s sole democracy following the Arab Spring.

As Tunisia moves forward under Saied’s continued leadership, the country faces the challenge of balancing economic recovery and political stability.