Prominent Tunisian politician is hospitalized after acid attack

Abdellatif Mekki, a prominent Tunisian politician who ran against President Kais Saied in last month’s presidential elections, was targeted in a brutal acid attack, according to Bloomberg.

The incident took place outside Mekki’s residence, allegedly carried out by his neighbor. Mekki sustained serious injuries to his face, neck, and eyes and was immediately hospitalized for treatment.

Mekki’s opposition party, Action and Achievement, released a statement condemning the attack. They claimed prior complaints against the suspect had been ignored and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.

Local media outlets have reported that authorities have issued arrest warrants for two individuals believed to be connected to the attack.

Once a leading figure in Tunisia’s Islamist Ennahda party, Mekki established a new political faction in 2022. Despite this, he continues to hold significant support among Ennahda’s base.

In the run-up to the presidential election, Tunisia’s election commission barred Mekki from running against Saied, citing insufficient support. This decision faced criticism from rights groups, who accused the judiciary of bias in favor of Saied’s re-election campaign.

However, a Tunisian court overturned the ruling on August 27, allowing Mekki to join a limited pool of candidates opposing Saied. Despite this, Saied was re-elected with an overwhelming 90% of the vote, in what was recorded as the lowest voter turnout in nearly 70 years.