Tunisia is set to hold parliamentary elections on Sunday, December 17, 2022, with President Kais Saied facing a boycott by the opposition. The boycott is being led by the Popular Front, a coalition of left-wing and nationalist parties, which has cited unfair campaign conditions and a lack of transparency in the electoral process.
Despite the boycott, the ruling party, Ennahda, is expected to perform well in the elections, with many predicting that it will secure a majority of seats in the country’s parliament. The party, which has its roots in political Islam, has been in power since the 2011 revolution that toppled long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
The parliamentary elections are being seen as a crucial test for Tunisia’s young democracy, as the country struggles to overcome economic challenges and maintain its status as the only success story of the Arab Spring.
Critics of the boycott argue that it will only serve to undermine the legitimacy of the elections and potentially lead to further political instability. They argue that the opposition should participate in the democratic process and work to improve the system from within, rather than attempting to undermine it.
The international community is closely watching the elections, with many calling for a peaceful and transparent process. The United Nations has deployed a team of observers to monitor the elections and ensure that they are free and fair.
It remains to be seen how the boycott will affect the outcome of the elections, but one thing is certain: the future of Tunisia’s fragile democracy is at stake.