Tunisia's upcoming presidential race marred by candidacy constraints

A number of conditions and requirements to run for office have changed under Saied, 66, who was democratically elected in 2019 but orchestrated a sweeping power grab in 2021. To qualify to appear on the ballot, candidates are required to gather "an enormous number" of signatures, said Amine Kharrat, a political analyst at independent observatory Al Bawsala. "The conditions have been hardened," Isabelle Werenfels, North Africa expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told AFP.