Tunisian President Kais Saied’s office has announced that the country’s next presidential election will hold on October 6. Saied was initially elected in 2019 on a mandate to stamp out corruption. In 2021, he took full control of the country’s governing apparatus after he dismissed the prime minister and parliament. He proceeded to rule by decree in what critics described as a shift towards authoritarianism. He also presided over the writing of a new constitution, which established a presidential system of governance and reduced parliamentary powers, and its subsequent approval by referendum. Furthermore, Saied’s time in office has seen a crackdown on journalists and political opponents, some of whom have ended up in jail. While Saied’s office did not reveal whether he will run for re-election, it is widely believed that his name will be on the ballot come October 6.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS