Tunisians vote as Saied looks for re-election amid human rights crackdown: Video
Tunisians headed to the polls on Sunday for a presidential election, where incumbent Kais Saied faces no significant challengers after jailing his most prominent opponents.
The election is expected to establish Saied's hold on power, three years after his controversial power grab, which dismantled much of Tunisia's democratic experiment following the Arab Spring uprisings.
Polling stations opened at 8:00 am (0700 GMT) and will close by 6:00 pm (1700 GMT). The AFP reports that preliminary results are expected by Wednesday, according to Tunisia’s electoral board, ISIE.
Many voters expressed their sense of duty and hope for a better future. Laila Hmaidi, a 47-year-old voter, said, "We must vote; it's our right. This is how we exercise our freedom." Another voter, Othman Hachmi, echoed the importance of the elections, stating, "We need to choose the right person to serve our country."
"The elections are really important for me. We have to choose the person we think is capable of serving this country. We can't change things with talk and words alone," another early voter Othman Hachmi said.
Despite the ongoing electoral process, some critics argue the lack of opposition candidates and the imprisonment of Saied’s rivals cast a shadow over Tunisia's political atmosphere.
