“Kaïs Saïed is a new dictator, a new Ben Ali”

A A few weeks before the presidential election in Tunisia, the return to dictatorship under the regime of the current president, Kaïs Saïed, is once again marked by the trivialization of police repression against opponents and political activists and the continued arbitrary detention of opposition figures, such as Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, Issam Chebbi, Abir Moussi, for unfounded accusations of “conspiracy” against the State.

Journalists, lawyers and members of non-governmental organisations in Tunisia, once symbols of the revolutionary spirit of 2011, are now silenced and threatened by arrests and violent smear campaigns on social media. This situation is leading to a return of self-censorship in the face of fear of harassment and arbitrary detentions, silencing any critical voices.

However, ousting or imprisoning at least eight candidates for the October 6 presidential election marks a dangerous turning point. Simply exercising one’s democratic freedoms and participating in the electoral process becomes a risky act, punishable by prison sentences.

The adoption of restrictive laws and abusive legal proceedings have combined with increased surveillance and regular intimidation to create a climate of fear throughout the country. According to [l’organisation de défense des droits humains] Human Rights Watch says repression of political opposition is intensifying and authoritarianism is undermining the holding of free and fair elections.

Democratic institutions bypassed

The fear of a violent return to an authoritarian regime, similar to that of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali (1936-2019), is very real. The parallels between the two leaders are increasingly evident to many Tunisians and international observers. The concentration of power in the hands of the president, the repressive measures against the opposition and the attacks on freedom of the press draw the contours of a repressive regime and the savagery of the dictatorship.

To assess the gravity of the situation and the comparison with Ben Ali, one must understand the authoritarian roadmap that Saied has imposed since coming to power in 2019 to consolidate his grip on the country.

After his coup in July 2021, he dissolved parliament, invoking emergency powers, and ruled by decree, allowing him to circumvent democratic institutions.

In 2022, Saied announced the dissolution of the High Council of the Judiciary, a move widely seen as an attempt to control the judiciary. In July of the same year, a controversial referendum was held to approve a new constitution, granting almost unlimited powers to the president.

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