Three candidates have been selected for the October 6, 2024 presidential election in Tunisia. The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) published the final list of presidential candidates on September 2, 2024. They include the outgoing president, Kaïs Saïed, Zouhair Maghzaoui, Secretary-General of the People’s Movement, and Ayachi Zammel, leader of the liberal Azimoun party. The electoral authority excluded three candidacies despite being validated by the Administrative Court after examination of appeals.
Three candidates have been selected for the October 6, 2024 presidential election in Tunisia. The final list published by the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) on September 2, 2024 maintains the candidates initially authorized by the electoral body on August 10, 2024. They include the outgoing president, Kaïs Saïed, Zouhair Maghzaoui, Secretary-General of the People’s Movement, and Ayachi Zammel, leader of the liberal Azimoun party.
The electoral operation, by this decision, is called into question in its legality since the electoral body has clearly chosen the path of illegality, which is the refusal to execute the jurisdictional judgments issued by the highest instance of the Tunisian judicial system.
Adnan LIMAM, Political scientist
ISIE thus excluded the candidacies of Abdellatif Mekki, former leader of the Ennahdha opposition movement, Mondher Zenaïdi, former minister, and Imed Daïmi, vice-president of the Harak party, despite being validated by the Administrative Court after examination of appeals. The electoral authority justifies its decision by the fact that the Administrative Court did not officially communicate its decisions concerning the appeals within the 48-hour deadline provided for by law. An accusation denied by the spokesperson for the Administrative Court, Faycel Bouguerra, who declared having informed ISIE of its decision by an official document.
The Administrative Court clearly communicated its decisions, which is sufficient under Article 47 of the electoral law. The manipulation of articles of the Constitution and the law in order to circumvent final judicial decisions and deceive the public is a real shame.
Refka Mbarki, Union of Administrative Magistrates
On September 2, 2024, presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel was arrested and transferred to the National Guard of the Tebourba district on suspicion of “false sponsorships”, according to local media. He was placed in police custody by the Manouba Court of First Instance for 48 hours. A legal investigation was opened against him by the research and investigation brigade. According to observers, at least eight presidential candidates and dozens of opponents have been prosecuted, convicted or imprisoned since mid-July 2024.
