Tunisia to hold 2nd round of legislative polls on Jan 29

TUNIS: Tunisia will hold the second round of legislative polls on January 29, the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) said.

Polling stations across the country will be opened to voters at 8 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., Xinhua news agency quoted a statement released by the ISIE as saying.

The poll body said it hopes more Tunisians will go to the polling stations as the first roundup of legislative elections, which took place on December 17, 2022, saw a low participation rate of 11.22 per cent and elected only 23 candidates.

The second round will try to confirm 131 seats in the 161-member Parliament while no one will run for the seven seats reserved for overseas constituencies, it added.

In December 2021, President Kais Saied announced a constitutional referendum would be held in July last year, followed by parliamentary elections at the end of 2022.

Saied announced on March 30, 2022 the dissolution of the Assembly of People's Representatives, or the Tunisian Parliament.