Tunisia’s Kais Saied wins landslide reelection, entrenching his power in Arab Spring’s birthplace

Associated Press

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia’s President Kais Saied has won reelection in a landslide victory after a campaign that saw opponents jailed alongside journalists, activists and attorneys. The North African country’s election authority says Saied won 90.7% of the vote. Turnout was low after many of his critics chose to boycott. The closest challenger, businessman Ayachi Zammel, won 7.4% of the vote after sitting in prison for the majority of the campaign facing multiple sentences for election-related crimes. The election was Tunisia’s third since the 2011 Arab Spring, when protests for “bread, freedom and dignity” led to the ouster of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.