Elections in Tunisia: “The nail in the coffin of democracy”

Tunisians are preparing to vote on Sunday October 6 for their next president, but the dice seem loaded. The current president, Kaïs Saïed, who has tightened all powers in his hands, should be re-elected without difficulty: his two authorized opponents are either little known or in prison.

But how did we get there? The fateful date is July 25, 2021. On that day, President Kaïs Saïed, after several months of political blockage, freezes Parliament, dismisses his prime minister and lifts the parliamentary immunity of all deputies. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, he can then govern by decree.

The opposition parties denounce a coup d’état, but part of the population shows its support.

Democratically elected in 2019, Kaïs Saïed said he listened to the Tunisians who asked him to put an end to the chaos that had reigned in parliament since the 2011 revolution. There was then a context conducive to his coup.

People no longer wanted to have to deal with mafiosi, clans, profiteers who had sucked Tunisia to the bone for years.explains the teacher, journalist and founder of the Carthage Nights Festival in Montreal, the Canadian-Tunisian Ahmed Saïd Aissioui.

He granted himself the right to judge and condemn political figures thought to be untouchable, such as the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood party Ennahdha.he adds.

The good thing is that he dissolved the National Assembly, which was a circus, a masquerade, where everyone put on a spectacle. But you know what they say: “power inevitably corrupts.”

Indeed, this president, a specialist in constitutional law, did not stop there. In February 2022, Kaïs Saïed dissolved the Superior Council of the Judiciary and dismissed around fifty judges. A few months later, he had a new Constitution adopted by referendum, with a low participation rate, which established a strong presidential system where the powers of parliament were reduced and where the president was not accountable to any authority.

In 2 11, I was 16 years old and we believed in a democracy, we all believed in it, but there was a drift. The Islamist parties came to power, they stayed for 10 years and they did nothing at the economic level, there were some political freedoms, but nothing concrete, deplores the Tunisian Houssein Madhkour, who has lived in Quebec for 10 years and who presents himself as a political activist.

I would like to live in an era where there is democracy, but we have experienced anarchy since 2011.

The man who was also a host and columnist for North African media in Montreal denounces the lack of transparency in the finances of political parties in recent years, which has given way to corruption.

We should make more reforms, put in place laws to find a solution to this problem, but if we put everyone in the same basket, we will return to authoritarianism. We have to find a happy medium, find a balance to this problemhe believes.

Harassment and arrests

But this middle ground does not seem to have been found. The main opponents of President Kaïs Saïed, who could have stood as candidates in the presidential election, are today in prison, explains Amnesty International.

It’s a witch hunt!

The arrests do not only affect opposition parties. Judges, journalists, rights defenders and civil society organizations are under surveillance and there are arbitrary arrests and arbitrary charges, deplores the general director of Amnesty International for French-speaking Canada, France-Isabelle Langlois.

The arrest of Tunisian lawyer and columnist Sonia Dahmani is a good example, according to the defense organization. The scene was filmed live by a France 24 camera. Earlier, the lawyer had criticized the authorities’ migration policy on a television set. She was arrested under Decree 54, which punishes anyone who broadcasts or spreads false news.

France-Isabelle Langlois adds that the president justifies himself in doing so by evoking threats to the nation or the influence of the West. He also has a racist and intolerant discourse towards sub-Saharan migrants, (New window) she deplores, which legitimizes violent repression against them.

Serious concerns

It reminds me a lot, relatively speaking, of the rise of Hitler: he rises through democratic channels, he is a populist, he appeals to all fearsnotes Professor Karem Chokmani, who has lived in Canada for 30 years and who does not mince his words towards the president.

With him, it’s always the same refrain of nationalism and plots from inside or outside. He says he is the embodiment of the people and he does what the people ask him to do. He dissolved all institutional bodies. We don’t know how far he can gohe laments.

This is the nail in the coffin of democracy! It’s a disaster!

Karem Chokmani, who posted his opinion under the president’s publications on Facebook, notes that censorship has already been put in place.

My sister [en Tunisie] calls me and tells me that a police official told him to warn me to be careful: ”We have reports coming from above and they are asking to investigate him because he criticizes [le pouvoir]”. Recently they also blocked me from the president’s pagesays Karem Chokmani.

A step back?

The majority of experts agree that Tunisia has taken the opposite path to what the Tunisians wanted. After the constitutional coup, as it is called, there is a return to authoritarianism, although it is not yet, in terms of intensity, as before the revolutionsays Francesco Cavatorta, professor of political science at Laval University, specialist in questions of democratization and authoritarianism in the Arab world.

Despite everything, President Kaïs Saïed still has the support of part of the population and Professor Cavatorta believes that the country’s economic situation has something to do with it.

It’s the economy, stupid! Do you remember this phrase from an advisor to Bill Clinton to say that we must focus on the economy? Well, when you look at Tunisia, the economic results following the revolution were not good, and then successive governments failed to reverse the trend. When things were starting to improve, there was the pandemic which closed the borders while the country lives on tourism and the export of minerals. On the other hand, we must not believe that the current president has a plan, he does not!he specifies.

We should also not believe, according to him, that the European Union will intervene or support the opposition in Tunisia.

The European Union is stuck with other problems: the war in Ukraine, a regional war in the Middle East, the economy is not doing well, the right is rising everywhere… So, as long as Tunisia blocks migrants, what they do at home doesn’t interest many peoplethinks the professor.

Don’t forget!

The Canadian-Tunisian Ahmed Saïd Aissaoui remains confident. It is certain that Tunisians are not going to let their achievements be stolen. He is also wearing a sweater on which we can read Cleared!’ Tunisia, January 14, 2011in memory of the Arab Spring revolution.

There is no going back! The Tunisian people are an incorruptible people. He has already paid a high price and it is better to hold your ground, because when he scolds, it is unforgiving!

For his part, Houssein Madhkour invites all Tunisians to vote. Whether for or against, put down a blank piece of paper to demonstrate your dissatisfaction, but go vote!he said.

Karem Chokmani will continue to denounce the situation: That’s the only thing I can do is cry foul!