Head of Tunisia’s official electoral commission resigns

By Saifuddin Ben Mahjoub

TUNIS

The head of Tunisia’s official electoral commission -- along with two other commission officials -- tendered his resignation on Tuesday.

At a press conference held in capital Tunis, Shafiq Sarsar announced that he, along with fellow commission members Murad Ben Moula and Lamia al-Zargouni, had decided to resign due to ongoing “disputes” between commission members.

According to Sarsar, the “disputes” that prompted the trio’s collective resignation pertain to “democratic values and principles”.

He did not elaborate further.

While the exact reasons for the resignations remain unclear, a source close to the electoral commission told Anadolu Agency that Sarsar had been subject to certain “pressures” related the commission’s mandate.

The source, who spoke anonymously due to the issue’s sensitivity, refrained from revealing the source of these alleged “pressures”.

According to the Tunisian constitution, the Supreme Electoral Commission is mandated with overseeing the country’s general elections.

Tunisia's next election is slated for Dec. 17, when voters will elect municipal council members.

Thanks to a new electoral law, it will be the first time that Tunisian security and military personnel are allowed to take part in the polling.

Initially slated for 2016, Tunisia’s upcoming municipal elections were postponed until December of this year due to delays in the electoral law’s ratification.

Following 2014 presidential and parliamentary polls, the polling commission -- and Sarsar in particular -- were praised for running an election widely seen as fair and transparent.