Tunisia: The Rise of Populism Preliminary Reading of the Presidential Elections Results

Mohamed Al-Sbitli

This paper presents a preliminary reading on the results of the Tunisian presidential elections held on Sunday 15 September 2019. The turnout was surprising to observers of the Tunisian affairs as it reached only 45%. The election was surprising due to the decline of traditional parties in favor of new actors. Candidates in this election sent direct and indirect messages to various parties at home and abroad, such as determining a position on ideological issues, how to combat terrorism, and other issues related to the economic situation, unemployment and development. The results announced on 17 September 2019 demonstrated the advancement of two candidates, who are not directly affiliated with the established system of government, causing a significant decline in traditional parties.


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