By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A court in Tunisia on Tuesday found merit in an appeal filed by prominent opposition politician Abdellatif Mekki, granting him permission to resume campaign in his bid ahead of the October 6 presidential poll.
The electoral commission had excluded Mekki from the race, citing what it called lack of popular endorsements.
A judicial official, Faycel Boguira said court’s decision was final and could not be appealed, Reuters reports.
Tunisia’s administrative court will issue further rulings this week regarding other politicians who have filed appeals after the commission also rejected their candidacy papers.
They include Mondher Zenaidi, Imed Daimi and Abir Moussi.
The court’s decision adds Mekki, head of the Action and Achievement Party, to a list of accepted candidates that also includes the incumbent, President Kais Saied, and politicians Ayachi Zammel and Zouhair Maghzaoui.
Mekki was a prominent official in the Islamist Ennahda party but left to found a rival party in 2022. However, he still enjoys widespread support among supporters of Ennahda, one of Tunisia’s largest political parties.
“The court decision is fair and highlights the image of the administrative court, known for its integrity even in the darkest periods in Tunisia’s history,” Ahmed Nafati, Mekki’s campaign manager, told Reuters.
Heritage Times HT reports that President Saied who is seeking a second term in office has come under criticism for using “arbitrary restrictions” and intimidation to stop opposition leaders from seeking to oust him through the ballot.
Activists and civil society organizations say the electoral commission is not neutral and is seeking to eliminate all serious competitors to pave the way for Saied’s victory. The commission denies the accusations.
Saied elected in 2019 had in a sweeping power grab dissolved parliament and seized control of all powers in 2021.
Saied has however vowed that “he would not hand over the country to non-patriots”.
