Tunisia’s opposition calls on president to quit after low turnout election
Saturday elections were marked by voter apathy, official numbers showed turnout standing at a slim 8.8%, in the first vote since President Kais Saied's power grab in 2021.
TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia's opposition coalition called on Sunday for President Kais Saied to leave his position, claiming he had lost his legitimacy after record low turnout in Saturday's parliamentary election.
The opposition coalition known as the Salvation Front, which includes the Islamist Ennahda movement, called on Saied to quit and for "massive protests and sit-ins" to demand fresh presidential elections.
"What happened today is an earthquake. From this moment we consider Saied an illegitimate president and demand he resign after this fiasco," said Salvation Front leader Nejib Chebbi. Official results are expected to come in on Monday.
On Saturday, 12 years since the self-immolation of street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi sparked the uprisings of the Arab Spring, Tunisians were called to vote on a new parliament, in a day marked by widespread voters' apathy and disenchantment.
