Tunisia – Start of early legislative elections to select 161 deputies

Location: Tunis – Tunisia
Language: Arabic
Duration: 3:25
Sound: natural
Source: A24 in Tunisia
Restrictions: A24 subscribers
Date: 12/17/2022

Storyline:
Tunisian legislative elections have started on Saturday, to choose 161 deputies in the House of Representatives.

A24 correspondent reported that there are about 9.2 million registered voters, who are expected to participate in the selection of 151 deputies, while 10 seats are reserved for candidates abroad.

While voting in the legislative elections took place abroad last Thursday, but will continue internally today in some governorates for security reasons.

There is boycott of the elections from several political parties, including “Ennahda Movement”, “Heart of Tunisia”, “Dignity Coalition”, “Democratic Current”, “Free Destourian”, and others. Political forces participating in the election are those in support of President Kais Saied, such as “Popular Front” coalition.

Saturday’s elections created a series of exceptional measures, which President Saied started implementing on July 25, 2021, preceded by the dissolution of the Judicial Council and Parliament, the issuance of legislation by presidential decrees, and the approval of a new constitution through a referendum on July 25, 2022.

Tunisian forces consider these measures a “declaration of absolute individual rule,” while other forces see them as “rectification of the events of 2011 revolution” that overthrew then-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, as they put it.

Shotlist:

• Soundbite (Hajj Ali – Tunisian voter):
  “I am always the first to vote, as this is my right and my duty, and it is for my benefit. I hope things turn out well. Despite abstention in some areas, people will come gradually, and the turnout will definitely change for the better in the evening.”
• Shots of polling stations.
• Soundbite (Raouf – Tunisian employee):
  “I have come to fulfill my electoral duty in the legislative elections. We have to remain optimistic, and hope that the new deputies have learned from the previous parliamentary sessions, and will take practical steps to progress the country.”
• Soundbite (Imad Eddin Khediri – Tunisian voter):
  “I have come to fulfill my duty a Tunisian citizen. Although there are no choices in these elections, as there is only one candidate, but I am here to do what needs to be done.”