President's election season begins in Tunisia after protests

On September 15, 2024, Tunis, Tunisia. Tunisia's presidential election season officially kicked off on Saturday, while on the previous day, Tunisians held protests on the streets of the capital to express their anger at the current state of the country. On Friday, hundreds of Tunisians held a peaceful march demanding an end to the so-called "police state", which seems to be the largest protest since months of arrests by the authorities this year.

Protesters like Khaled Ben Abdessalam are worried about the imprisonment of political figures and hope to bring new changes for their children. Demonstrators lashed out at Tunisia's economic and political woes, and slogans linked rising prices to concerns about civil liberties. This protest marked the end of a week of activities. During this period, Tunisia's largest opposition party, Ennahda, said that its senior members had been arrested on a large scale.

Saied is preparing to run for re-election on October 6. Since being elected in 2019, he has consolidated his power, frozen parliament and rewritten the constitution. During his term, he has arrested many people. Tunisia has a high unemployment rate and its economy is facing challenges. However, Saied has inspired his supporters with populist remarks. His political repression has been expanding in the months before running for re-election. Opponents have been arrested, silenced or face criminal investigations, and some candidates have been ruled ineligible or face arrest. Tunisia's Network for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms protested on Friday, angry at the election authorities' rejection of court rulings. Tunisia will hold a vote in less than a month, and people are full of worries and doubts about the country's political future.