The Free Destourian Party (PDL) announced on Tuesday that it had begun the process of appealing to the Administrative Court against the decrees recently issued by the President of the Republic concerning the local elections scheduled for December 24, 2023. It also plans to challenge the decisions of the Independent High Authority for the Elections (ISIE) on the same issue, threatening to take to the streets on October 15, according to a statement issued by the party after its central committee meeting. In the statement, the PDL reiterated its principled position of not recognising and boycotting the elections for local councils, arguing that the institutions to be set up as a result of these elections are “null and void” because they are “illegal and illegitimate”. The PDL also threatened to file a complaint against the authorities with the UN Human Rights Committee and other international bodies for violating the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and international treaties. The PDL stresses that these universal texts guarantee freedom of expression and party affiliation and enshrine the right of citizens to participate freely in the management of their country’s local affairs through free, transparent and fair elections in accordance with international electoral standards.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse