Tunisia’s Administrative Court reinstated former minister Mondher Znaidi on Thursday as a candidate in the October 6, 2024, presidential election after upholding his appeal, according to local news. The court’s decision overturns an earlier ruling by Tunisia’s Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), which had disqualified Znaidi’s candidacy over alleged insufficient voter signatures.

This ruling marks the second time this week that Tunisia’s judiciary has reinstated a disqualified candidate. Earlier, the court had also restored the candidacy of former Health Minister Abdellatif Mekki, who had similarly been barred by the ISIE. The Tunisian administrative court’s decisions are final and cannot be appealed, effectively mandating the ISIE to re-list both Znaidi and Mekki as candidates. Nevertheless, the ISIE has yet to confirm whether it has added Znaidi and Mekki back to the list of presidential contenders.

Znaidi, a former public health minister under former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, is a prominent opposition figure and critic of President Kais Saied. He has criticised President Saied’s divisive rhetoric and policies, which he argues have divided the country. His campaign aims to attract the votes of supporters of the former Tunisian government, seen as a large electoral reservoir. Znaidi’s campaign is expected to focus on reuniting Tunisians and addressing the economic and social challenges that have plagued the country in recent years.

While the reinstatement of these candidates introduces new dynamics into a presidential race that had, until now, been dominated by incumbent President Kais Saied, Tunisia’s current political landscape remains tense. Several of President Saied’s political opponents and critics currently remain in jail or are in the process of being prosecuted. Human Rights Watch has criticised the Tunisian government for what they describe as “political interference in the electoral process.” Bassam Khawaja, deputy director in the Middle East and North Africa Division at Human Rights Watch, states:

After jailing dozens of prominent opponents and activists, Tunisian authorities have removed almost all serious contenders from the presidential race, reducing this vote to a mere formality. The government should immediately end its political interference in the electoral process, reverse repressive measures, and allow opposition candidates to take part in the ballot.

Moreover, the National Salvation Front, the largest opposition coalition, announced in April that it would not participate in the election, citing the lack of conditions for fair competition. Despite these accusations, the government insists that the election will be conducted with integrity, transparency, and fairness.

The ISIE, which barred 14 people from standing for president, is expected to announce a final list of candidates next week.