[webdirectory-search custom_home="1" form_id="Categories search"]
[webdirectory custom_home="1" listings_view_type="grid" listings_view_grid_columns="1"]
In early August 2024, Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed and senior military officers convened a meeting amid emerging tensions regarding the management of the upcoming presidential campaign. The French site "Africa Intelligence" reports that disagreements have surfaced over the handling of arrests and judicial issues affecting several declared candidates.
Since taking office, Saïed had cultivated a close relationship with the military, including a symbolic gesture of planting an olive tree and a visit to military special forces in late 2019. He aimed to align the military with his increasingly authoritarian regime, as Tunisia's police force was divided by internal conflicts.
However, this alliance appears to be deteriorating. Saïed's aggressive stance against political figures who had been seen as credible interlocutors with the military, including notable figures like Lotfi Mraïdi, Mondher Znaïdi, and Abir Moussi, has strained relations. The Independent Electoral Authority (ISE), led by a Saïed ally, has dismissed most presidential candidacies, exacerbating the situation.
Further complicating matters, Saïed's attempt to exert control over military appointments has led to conflicts. General Abdennomen Belati, appointed as Minister of Agriculture in January 2023, and Mustapha Ferjani, the Director General of Military Health, have had disagreements with Saïed over various issues, including military and health sector policies.