Tunisia was the country in northern Africa where the events of the so-called “Arab ANDSpringin December 2010. For a long time, in fact, it was also treated as the only country in which the revolutionary experiment of the “Arab Spring” was successful. President for life Zine El Abdin Ben Ali removed from power in 2011, and Tunisia is moving towards democratization.

However, now, exactly 12 years after the overthrow of Ben Ali, Tunisia is experiencing a new period of political crisis.

Only 11.3% of voters took part in the second round of the parliamentary elections held last Sunday. In the “unsuccessful” first round, held in December last year, only 11.22% of voters took part.

This apathy is interpreted as evidence of two elements: the rejection of the steps of the President of the country Qays Sayed (which, starting in 2021, has attempted a “presidential coup” in which it seeks to assemble more executive power) and growing concerns about the economic and social conditions in the country (which is in talks with the IMF for a loan of almost 2 billion) and from -for the rising cost of living.

“In addition to suspending and then dissolving parliament and expelling the then government, Syed dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council, introduced laws by presidential decree, and approved a new constitution in a referendum last summer that greatly expanded the powers of the president…

Opposition parties have already called on the president to step down due to low voter turnout. They see this election as the next step in the coup that began in 2021…,” writes Alessandra Baetz on the Al-Monitor website.

According to Al-Monitor