Tunisia - March 2023

President Kais Saied issued a presidential decree on 9 March dissolving municipal councils, a few months ahead of local elections. Saied will appoint ‘special temporary councils’ to replace them until the next local elections, expected to take place no later than late October. The now-dismantled municipal councils were elected during the 2018 vote and a third were under the administration of opposition party Ennahda. According to President Said, the existing councils were ‘not neutral’ and confirmed the new councils will also be elected, although under new voting rules yet to be drafted by the president himself.

Also in March, the Parliament of Tunisia convened on 13 March for the first time since it was suspended in July 2021. The new assembly, which has not been recognized by most opposition parties, consists of 154 members (seven seats remain vacant), with 25 female representatives and no members of the main opposition parties. Journalists protested outside the parliamentary building after independent press was banned from covering the event. According to Tunisian officials, the decision to only allow state news and media outlets was to avoid disorder.  

Sources: North Africa Post, Presidency of the Government of Tunisia, Al Jazeera (1), Middle East Monitor, Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (2), Al Jazeera (2), Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (2), Al-Monitor