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After two days of silence, the Presidency of the Republic commented in a press release on the participation rate in the legislative elections on Saturday, December 17. His legitimacy and that of the political process are questioned by the opposition, which is calling for his resignation following the record abstention rate of nearly 90%.
With our correspondent in Tunis, Lilia Blaise
The president finally responded to his critics in a statement late Monday evening on his Facebook page, taking the opportunity of a meeting with the head of government. He compared those who comment on turnout in the first round to those who analyze the results of a sports match at the end of the first half, without waiting for what’s next. A position that does not satisfy his detractors who are still calling for his resignation and the cancellation of the second ballot.
The international community remains cautious and does not speak directly of legitimacy. The United States encourages more political inclusion and the establishment of a Constitutional Court. French diplomacy is focusing on the importance of the resumption of economic negotiations with the International Monetary Fund to reach a final agreement on the loan of 1.9 billion dollars.
Participation rate revised upwards
These negotiations had been suspended just before the elections to give the Tunisian authorities time to better prepare their file for applying the reforms. Monday, despite the political crisis in the foreground, the electoral body, imperturbable, announced the preliminary results of this election. The participation rate was revised upwards, from 8.8% to 11.22%.
A change explained by the fact that all the polling stations had not yet sent, at the close of the vote, their exact attendance. Some 133 constituencies out of 152 should have a second round which will take place fifteen days following the final announcement of the results which must be done on January 19, while around twenty candidates have already been elected deputies.
