Tunisian President Kais Saied took the constitutional oath on Monday in a joint session of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People and the National Council of Regions and Districts, held at the Bardo Palace. The session was attended by Prime Minister Kamal Madouri, members of his government, the Mufti of the Tunisian Republic, the Chief Rabbi, and the head of the Catholic Church.
Officially, Saied secured 90.7% of the vote, which marked a second presidential term for him in the elections held on October 6, 2024, where he competed against candidates Ayachi Zammal and Zouhair Maghzaoui.
The elections were marked by a low turnout, with only 28.8% of eligible voters participating. This election has drawn criticism for the manner in which it was conducted, including the disqualification and detention of opposition politicians, which has raised concerns about the ongoing erosion of democracy in Tunisia since the Arab Spring.
President Saied’s approach since his first election in 2019 has increasingly centralized power, leading to a decline in democratic governance. His actions have included suspending the parliament, rewriting the constitution, and ruling by decree, which have been seen as moves toward autocracy. This centralization of power was met with criticism and has led to public protests calling for free and fair elections.
