U.S. urges Tunisia to expand political participation

The low voter turnout in Tunisia’s parliamentary elections reinforces the need for the North African nation to further expand political participation in the coming months, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Sunday.
Only 8.8% of Tunisian voters cast ballots in Saturday’s parliamentary elections, the country’s electoral commission announced, after most political parties boycotted the vote as a charade to shore up President Kais Saied’s power.
After announcing the turnout, major parties including the Salvation Front, which includes the Islamist Ennahda party and its arch-rival, the Free Constitutional Party, said Saied had no legitimacy and should step down, calling for massive protests.
“The parliamentary elections … represent an essential initial step toward restoring the country’s democratic trajectory,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
“However, the low voter turnout reinforces the need to further expand political participation over the coming months,” he added.