Tunisia's President Kais Saied Announces Second Term Bid Amid Political Turmoil

Tunisia's President Kais Saied announced his intention to run for a second term. His announcement follows a week of continued arrests and restrictions against his critics, raising concerns about Tunisia's future. Saied, who rose to power in 2019 leveraging public discontent, has since consolidated his authority by rewriting the constitution.

Tunisia's President Kais Saied declared on Friday his intention to seek a second term, a long-anticipated announcement as numerous prospective rivals remain incarcerated under what their lawyers claim are politicized charges.

The declaration, shared on the presidency's Facebook page, came after a week marked by continued arrests of critics, alongside gag orders and other repressive measures. These actions have amplified concerns about the direction Tunisia is heading, 13 years after protesters overthrew its longstanding dictator in what sparked the Arab Spring.

Saied, a 66-year-old former law professor who gained power in 2019 by tapping into widespread frustration towards unfulfilled revolutionary promises, further consolidated his control by dismissing the prime minister, suspending parliament, and revising the constitution.

Since then, Tunisia has jailed several of his critics from both the business and political arenas, including Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the politically influential Ennahda party.

(With inputs from agencies.)