October 6 marks the date when Tunisians will participate in the first round of the presidential election, which many opposition critics believe is biased in favor of President Kais Saied and could spell the end of Tunisia’s democracy. Only two candidates have been approved to challenge the incumbent: Zouhair Magzhaoui, a left-wing nationalist seen as a token candidate supporting Saied, and Ayachi Zammel, the imprisoned leader of the liberal Azimoun party. Zammel has faced multiple charges, including falsifying paperwork related to his candidacy, and has been sentenced to years in prison. Despite appeals from other politicians, the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) has dismissed their eligibility to run against Saied, leading to public protests and accusations of electoral manipulation. The media landscape, controlled by Saied, has restricted free expression through laws such as Decree 54, resulting in the imprisonment of journalists and critics. Despite widespread disillusionment with the political system, Saied maintains support from those who view him as a solution to corrupt politics. The upcoming election is expected to secure a victory for Saied, with little opposition from the other two candidates, Zammel and Magzhaoui.
