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Tunisia’s Saied sets presidential election date for October 6
Al Jazeera
The vote comes as many of Saied’s political opponents and media critics are in jail or facing prosecution.
Tunisian President Kais Saied has called a presidential election for October 6, setting himself up for possible re-election as many of his political opponents are behind bars.
Announcing the date in an official decree on Monday, Saied did not confirm whether he would seek re-election but is widely expected to stand for another five-year term.
The former constitutional law professor was elected to office in 2019 as an anti-establishment stalwart promising to root out corruption.
He took full control of the country in 2021, dismissing the elected parliament and moving to rule by decree in a move the opposition slammed as a coup.
He then oversaw the writing of a new constitution, approved by referendum in 2022, establishing a presidential system and weakening parliament.