Tunisia: Presidential candidate Zouheir Maghzaoui criticizes Electoral Body

Presidential candidate Zouheir Maghzaoui has criticized the Independent High Electoral Body for its “silence” regarding irregularities in the electoral process. At a press conference in Tunis on Wednesday, August 28, Maghzaoui, Secretary General of the “Echaab” Movement, claimed that the electoral process has been compromised by various issues, including administrative bias and unfair treatment by public medias.

He alleged that the Elections Authority has not provided equal treatment to all candidates and called for “honest and transparent” elections.

In response, Mohamed Tlili Mnasri, spokesman for the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) stated that “everyone is equal in the eyes of the elections authority and under electoral law.” He affirmed that the presidential election process is proceeding as planned.

Mnasri made these comments during a training session held in Monastir on August 28 and 29 for regional electoral body members.

The Tunisian electoral body preliminarily accepted only a few presidential candidates, including incumbent Kais Saied, amid widespread criticism of what the opposition says are moves to exclude serious contenders.

In recent months many of President Kaïs Saïed’s opponents were detained and numerous presidential candidacies invalidated.

The commission actually rejected the candidacies of some 14 politicians regarded as influential. These include Mondher Znaidi, Imed Daimi, Karim Gharbi, Safi Said, Kamel Akrout and Nizar Chaari.

Tunisian opposition parties and human rights groups have accused the authorities of using “arbitrary restrictions” and intimidation in order to ensure the re-election of Saied, returning Tunisia to the years of dictatorship and sham elections that were the norm before the 2011 revolution.

The Presidential elections are slated for October 6.