HAS A few weeks before the presidential elections 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 continuation of arbitrary arrests of opposition figures such as Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, Issam Chebbi, Abir Moussi, on unfounded charges of “conspiracy” against the State.
Journalists, lawyers and members of non-governmental organisations in Tunisia, once symbols of the revolutionary spirit of 2011, now find themselves muzzled and threatened by arrests and violent smear campaigns on social media. This situation is leading to a return of self-censorship out of fear of harassment and arbitrary arrests, silencing any critical voice.
However, the overthrow or imprisonment of at least eight candidates for the October 6 presidential election marks a dangerous turning point. Simply exercising democratic freedoms and participating in the electoral process becomes a risky act, punishable by prison sentences.
The adoption of restrictive laws and abusive judicial procedures have combined with increased surveillance and periodic intimidation to create a climate of fear throughout the country. According to [l’organisation de défense des droits humains] Human Rights Watch, repression of the political opposition is intensifying and the authoritarian drift is destroying the holding of free and fair elections.
Democratic institutions ignored
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 press freedom outline the contours of a repressive regime and the savagery of a dictatorship.
To assess the gravity of the situation and the comparison with Ben Ali, one must understand the authoritarian roadmap that Saïed has imposed since coming to power in 2019 to consolidate his dominance in the country.
Following his coup in July 2021, he dissolved parliament, invoking emergency powers, and ruled by decree, allowing him to bypass democratic institutions.
In 2022, Kaïs Saïed 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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