Tunisian Court Reinstates Presidential Bid of Opposition Leader Abdellatif Mekki

A Tunisian court has overturned an electoral commission decision, allowing opposition leader Abdellatif Mekki to resume his presidential campaign. Initially excluded due to insufficient popular endorsements, the court’s ruling came ahead of the Oct. 6 election. Mekki, a former Ennahda official, is now among several accepted candidates.

A Tunisian court on Tuesday upheld an appeal by prominent opposition politician Abdellatif Mekki, allowing him to resume his bid for the presidency in the upcoming October 6 election. Judicial and political sources confirmed the court's final decision, which cannot be appealed.

The electoral commission had previously excluded Mekki from the race, citing a lack of popular endorsements. This ruling adds Mekki, head of the Action and Achievement Party, to the list of accepted candidates, which also includes incumbent President Kais Saied and other notable politicians.

Mekki, formerly a key figure in the Islamist Ennahda party, left to establish a rival faction in 2022. Despite his departure, he retains significant support from Ennahda's base. Meanwhile, opposition parties and human rights groups accuse the authorities of manipulating the electoral process to ensure Saied's re-election, a claim the commission denies.