Summary:

On 19 December 2022, the Tunisian Independent High Authority for Elections announced that run-off elections will be held on 20 January. Runoffs were deemed necessary because only 21 candidates of the 1000+ who ran were identified as victorious in their district. In many cases, low turnout prevented the identification of a winner, or no candidate ran for the seat at all. The government determined 133 districts will be included in the runoff elections. The 17 December 2022 parliamentary elections saw a historically low voter turnout reported by the government at 11.2%.

Outlook:  

The runoff elections will create additional space for boycotting political parties and labor unions to organize opposition, as those groups viewed the low turnout as validation of their efforts. We expect an increase in protest and demonstration activity in January, particularly as the runoff elections will fall near the 14 January anniversary of former President Ben Ali’s removal from the country. We anticipate political and economic frustrations to grow steadily in the coming weeks.

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