Tunisians protested on Sunday, expressing concerns over President Kais Saied's control of the country's electoral commission. They accused him of undermining democracy and stifling political competition as the presidential election approaches.

Hundreds of Tunisians took to the streets on Sunday to protest against President Kais Saied, accusing him of intensifying authoritarianism and suppressing political competition just two weeks ahead of a presidential election.

Under heavy police presence, protesters marched along Tunis' main avenue for the second consecutive week, a site historically significant from the 2011 "Arab Spring" revolution. They chanted slogans such as "The people want the fall of the regime" and "Out with Saied."

This demonstration followed the proposal of a bill by lawmakers aimed at stripping the administrative court of its authority to handle electoral disputes. Opponents argue this move could undermine the integrity of the October 6 election and facilitate Saied's bid for a second term.

"Saied's actions indicate that he is losing popularity and fears losing the election," said Nabil Hajji, leader of the opposition Attayar party, in a statement to Reuters.

Amid rising political tensions, the electoral commission appointed by Saied has disqualified three notable presidential candidates: Mondher Znaidi, Abdellatif Mekki, and Imed Daimi. This decision defied the administrative court, the highest authority for election-related disputes, and permitted only two candidates to challenge Saied.

One of those candidates, Ayachi Zammel, is currently incarcerated after being sentenced to 20 months for allegedly falsifying signatures on election documents, a charge he claims is politically motivated.

Critics assert that Saied is leveraging the electoral commission and judiciary to suppress competition and intimidate potential candidates. In response, Saied denies these allegations, claiming he is combating traitors, mercenaries, and corruption.

Elected democratically in 2019, Saied has increasingly consolidated power, ruling by decree since 2021—a move that the opposition has characterized as a coup.