By John Ikani
Tunisian President Kais Saied has introduced a new electoral law that reduces the influence of political parties in elections.
Under the new law, people will vote for individuals instead of lists from parties as it has been in previous elections.
The main parties in Tunisia have rejected the law, which comes ahead of parliamentary elections on 17 December.
Mr Saied says the new law allows the people to exercise “effective sovereignty” and dismissed concerns that political parties were being excluded.
“If there is exclusion, it will be expressed by the people on election day,” the state news agency TAP quoted him as saying.
President Saied dismissed parliament over a year ago and has been ruling largely by decree.
In July, a new Tunisian constitution giving sweeping powers to the president was approved in a referendum marked by low voter participation – and whose results the opposition said were not legitimate.
