Elections for a new parliament have started in Tunisia. More than 9.2 million voters are called on Saturday to vote on the parliament, which will have significantly less power than the previous one. Public interest in the election seems low. According to the election commission, only a few people went to vote in the morning.
Many Tunisians struggle to make ends meet every day. So far, politics has not offered them any solutions for the economic crisis and high unemployment in the country. More and more people are therefore making their way to Europe to find work and prospects there.
President Kais Saied dissolved the old parliament at the end of March in order to weaken his political opponents and expand his own power. Since the introduction of a controversial new constitution in the summer, the head of state has been able to appoint and dismiss the government and judges without the approval of parliament. The opposition announced that it would boycott the election. She accused the President of undermining democracy. Supporters and opponents of Saied have been protesting in the North African country for months.