Summary:

On Friday, 26 November 2022, the campaign season for the upcoming parliamentary elections officially launched across Tunisia. The campaigns will be permitted to continue until 15 December, two days before the elections scheduled for 17 December. The candidates reportedly numbered at 1,055 with 161 seats available. This will be the first parliamentary election since the dissolution of Parliament by President Kais Saied on 30 March.

Outlook:  

The commencing of official campaigning marks Tunisia’s entrance into a precarious political season. Both Tunisians and the international community are watching carefully how President Kais Saied’s reform program will unfold. Our team is keeping an eye on how perceptions among everyday people evolve beyond the political class and international press corps. At present, the public appears postured to endure the election in a similar fashion to the constitutional referendum in July, despite an increasingly vocal opposition. However, with the economic crisis being felt more acutely by Tunisian households, the potential for social unrest and public discontent is notably higher.