Tunisia’s political crisis deepens as voters shun the polls a second time

Dismal voter turnout spells more trouble for Tunisian politics: Only 11.3% of Tunisians voted in yesterday’s parliamentary runoffs in Tunisia – around the same number who voted in the first round of elections in December, Reuters reports citing preliminary official data. Opponents of President Kais Saied said the low turnout was proof of growing contempt for his leadership. Saied has stripped much of the parliament’s power in a bid to consolidate his executive authority after a power grab in 2021, which saw him sack the government and suspend the legislative chamber.
Also worth knowing this morning:
- Bye to Jacinda, hi to Chris: New Zealand Labour leader Chris Hipkins was sworn in as the country’s prime minister on Wednesday, following the unexpected resignation of his predecessor Jacinda Ardern thanks to burnout, Reuters reports.
- A top US official is set to warn several countries in the region against attempts to evade sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. (Reuters).