TUNIS: The Tunisian election board announced Saturday that three candidates including incumbent President Kais Saied had been cleared to run in upcoming elections.
Saied, 66, was democratically elected in 2019 but orchestrated a sweeping power grab in 2021 and is now seeking another term in office in elections to be held on October 6.
Farouk Bouasker, president of the High Independent Authority for Elections (ISIE), told a news conference that 14 other presidential hopefuls were barred from the race after "not collecting enough endorsements".
Apart from Saied, the two other candidates on the ballot are former lawmakers Zouhair Maghzaoui and Ayachi Zammel, who heads a little-known party.
Maghzaoui has come out in support of Saied's power grab.
Experts have said presidential hopefuls faced significant constraints in their bid to challenge Saied, who has faced accusations of an "authoritarian drift" and a "rollback" on freedoms from rights groups and critics.
To be listed on the ballot, candidates are required to present a list of signatures from 10,000 registered voters, with at least 500 voter signatures per constituency -- "an enormous number" according to political analyst Amine Kharrat -- or secure endorsements from lawmakers or local officials.
ISIE also required a clean criminal record.
Several would-be contenders complained of obstacles in obtaining their criminal records as well as the necessary endorsement forms.
Numerous potential candidates are behind bars, many of them over accusations of "conspiracy against the state".
As part of Saied's consolidation of power, Tunisia's constitution was rewritten in 2022 to create a presidential regime whose parliament has extremely limited powers.
More than 20 of Saied's opponents have been detained in a flurry of arrests that began in February 2023.
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Tunisia president among three cleared to run in election
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Tunisia president among three cleared to run in election
- Experts have said presidential hopefuls faced significant constraints in their bid to challenge Saied
Morocco pushes to reform social security system amid inflation and economic pressure, PM says
- Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Aziz Akhannouch said his government had expanded healthcare to more than 80 percent of its population
DUBAI: Morocco’s prime minister said on Tuesday that the country was pursuing radical social and economic reforms in the wake of inflationary and economic pressures.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Aziz Akhannouch said his government had expanded healthcare to more than 80 percent of its population, up from just 42 percent when he took office three years ago.
He said this also coincided with consistently strong economic growth and headline inflation reducing to below 1 percent.
“In a world that doubts itself, Morocco has decided to protect its population, reform and look forward,” he told attendees in Davos.
In late 2025, Morocco was rocked by its largest demonstrations in over a decade as youth‑led groups mobilized nationwide against deteriorating public services, deepening social inequality, and chronic unemployment.
Akhannouch said the country was aware of the difficulties facing Moroccans and was determined to ensure the country would remain on a positive trajectory.
Part of this included the provision of financial aid to more than 12 million citizens, and the formation of trusts for orphans to be paid out when they turn 18.
“Health means dignity, if you want to have a decent life you have to have good health,” he said.
Nevertheless, Akhannouch noted that the government had not forgone its budgetary principles — and had in fact balanced the country’s debt payments and achieved successful fiscal reforms. He noted S&P’s decision in 2025 to raise Morocco’s sovereign rating to BBB‑/A‑3 and restore its investment‑grade status.
Speaking on the World Cup, set to be co-hosted with neighbors Spain and Portugal in 2030, he said the project was seen as a nation-building exercise that would help spur Morocco to develop its underlying infrastructure and provide employment opportunities for young Moroccans.
“It will be a growth accelerator,” he said.
“When we build new rail networks and upgrade cities it will have a long-term impact on people.”
