Summary:

On 24 December 2023, Tunisia held local council elections that witnessed low voter turnout of 11.66% in an apparent confirmation of broad political disengagement among Tunisians.  

This round of elections is designed to begin a process of forming local councils that will eventually elect representatives to form a second chamber of Tunisia’s parliament. 

The low turnout numbers only slightly outpaced the previous round of parliamentary elections that saw 11.2% voter turnout. Both numbers mark a significant decline from the already low turnout of 30% for President Saied’s referendum vote on the updated Tunisian constitution held in July 2022. 

Outlook: 

Political disengagement and apathy remain at a high level in Tunisia as disenchantment with the post-revolutionary period has grown. Consistently low voter turnout likely indicates waning patience for President Saied’s reform plan, but even more indicates that Tunisians lack confidence in their government to effectively deliver on key issues, most notably: the economy. 

As shortages continue to plague consumers against the backdrop of rising prices, the Tunisian population will likely become increasingly impatient for tangible results from the government.  This impatience could translate into civil unrest and demonstrations if the government is unable to maintain supplies of staple goods such as flour, milk, sugar, and fuel – all of which have experienced recent disruptions. 

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