The Tunisian parliamentary run-off witnessed the identical low turnout as within the first spherical
Tunisia’s parliamentary run-off Sunday appeared set to repeat the low turnout within the first spherical in December, with voter turnout of simply 7.7 % within the afternoon.
A newly fashioned and much much less highly effective parliament is a central component of the political system that President Kais Saied launched final 12 months after a July 2021 seizure of energy that gave the presidency virtually complete sway.
Within the first spherical of voting for the Home of Representatives in December, solely 11% of voters took half, in keeping with official information.
Turnout figures launched by the Electoral Fee on Sunday confirmed a slight enchancment. Electoral Fee figures indicated a turnout of seven.7% by 3 p.m., barely larger than the 7.2% recorded on the identical time within the December ballot.
“I’m not considering elections that don’t curiosity me,” mentioned Najib Sahli, 40, who was passing a polling station within the Tahrir district of the capital, Tunis, early Sunday.
Unbiased election observers, together with the native observer group, have questioned the official turnout figures, accusing authorities in lots of constituencies of withholding information they depend on to watch the integrity of elections. “This severely damages the transparency of the elections and any figures offered by the authorities,” mentioned the pinnacle of the observers, Salim Bouzid.
Opposition teams principally boycott the elections however stay divided over the best way to proceed.
Saied mentioned his actions had been each authorized and obligatory to avoid wasting Tunisia from years of corruption and financial decline by the hands of a self-serving political elite.
Though his new structure was authorized in a referendum final 12 months, solely 30% of voters turned out.
A Reuters journalist at a polling station within the Tadamon district of Tunis mentioned voters didn’t present up in the course of the 20 minutes he spent there.
A deepening financial disaster that’s inflicting shortages of some meals and medicines, and prompting the federal government to hunt a world bailout, has added to widespread disillusionment with politics.
We do not need elections. “We would like milk, sugar and cooking oil,” mentioned Hasnaa, a lady buying within the Tadamon space on Sunday.
( Jowharwith Reuters)
