ALBAWABA - Despite the recent parliamentary elections in Tunisia, the country is set to extend its state of emergency till the end of 2023.
The state of emergency was declared in 2015 following a terror attack. It was extended periodically since to deal with the precarious security situation in the country.
Tunisia President blames hatred of Parliament for low turnout in elections – Middle East Monitor https://t.co/mIjLGh9poO
— ابتسام عازم (@IbtisamAzem) February 1, 2023
The state of emergency, which would have ended on Jan. 30 was extended till the end of 2023 till Dec. 31, according to Anadolu, which quoted a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette.
President Kais Saied already extended the state of emergency for one month to cover the parliamentary elections held in late January, but felt more time was needed as the extensions give the country's Interior Ministry emergency powers to stop meetings and gatherings, impose curfews and clamp down on media organizations.
On Sunday, only 11.3% of Tunisia's nearly 8 million eligible voters turned out for parliamentary elections. This was likely the world's lowest turnout for a parliamentary election. https://t.co/ATuKn5SpBc
— DW News (@dwnews) February 1, 2023
Meanwhile, Tunisia held its second round of parliamentary elections last Sunday with historically low turnout registering at 11.3 percent among the voters of nearly eight million, giving an open thumbs down to Saied's political reforms, a process he started in 2021 when he froze parliament and dismissed the country's prime minister.
⚡️Tunisian President Kais Saied decided on Tuesday (Jan.31) to extend the state of emergency imposed across the country until the end of 2023.#stateofemergency #Tunisia #icr360
— International Crisis Room 360 (@ICR360) February 1, 2023
The low turnout resulted in the dismissal of two ministers in the crisis-hit country with the Tunisian President dismissing the agricultural and education ministers and appointing a new government according to AFP.
