19 December 2022, Tunis (Tunisia) – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) on the occasion of the 2022 Tunisian Parliamentary Elections, which took place on 17 December 2022.
On 16 December, the delegation met with members of the Tunisian High-Independent Authority for Elections (ISIE). The purpose of the meeting was to brief PAM delegates on the preparations of the 2022 Parliamentary Elections, and to familiarized them with the amended electoral system of Tunisia, the procedures to implement during the Election Day, the candidates’ nomination process, and settlement of possible disputes and appeals.
On the Election Day, the PAM delegation divided in three teams to observe the voting procedures in Tunis, Bizerte and Hammamet.
From a technical point of view, no irregularities were found in the conduct of the elections. For most of the time, PAM delegates were received with great helpfulness by the polling station managers and their staff, who were very willing to talk about the organization of the elections and the running of the voting procedure.
The PAM delegation considers that Parliamentary Elections in Tunisia represent an initial step toward restoring the country’s democratic path. However, the low voter turnout reinforces the need to further expand political participation over the coming months.
As the electoral process continues into 2023, the importance of adopting comprehensive and transparent reforms, including empowering an elected legislature, establishing the Constitutional Court, and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Tunisians, is deemed essential. PAM remains ready to assist the Tunisian electoral process as needed.//