Tunisian President Kais Saied downplayed the significance of the large boycott of the recent legislative elections in the country. The electoral authorities in Tunisia officially announced that the voter turnout for the legislative elections held on December 17 was only 11.2%, which is slightly higher than the initial figure of 8.8% announced when the polls closed. This turnout is the lowest ever since the revolution that ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.
During a meeting at the Carthage Palace with Prime Minister Najla Bouden and several ministers, including the defense minister and security officials, the Tunisian president stated that “a participation rate of 9 or 12 percent is better than the 99 percent that used to be reported, which was accompanied by a flood of congratulatory telegrams from abroad, with those capitals knowing that those elections were fraudulent.” He added, “We need congratulations from the Tunisian people.”
Saied sharply targeted his opponents and critics without naming them, saying, “Recently, those who are deeply mired in corruption and betrayal have been trying day and night to undermine state institutions and to challenge the authority and symbols of the state, and this challenge rises to the level of conspiracy against the internal and external security of the state.”
He continued, “These conditions cannot continue, and هؤلاء (these people) will not remain unpunished within the framework of the law.” Regarding the shortage of essential food items, he accused his opponents of “fabricating crises, and their discourse of crisis is meant to incite against state institutions.”
On the other hand, Saied denied any regression in freedoms and rights in Tunisia since he assumed power, stating, “Those who lament freedom of expression do not have freedom of thought; they are merely mercenaries.”
