The Independent High Authority for Elections is a public and independent institution endowed with legal personality and enjoying financial and administrative autonomy.
Headquartered in Tunis, its main mission is to ensure democratic, free, pluralistic, fair, and transparent elections and referendums.
The Independent High Authority for Elections was established under Organic Law No. 2012-23 of December 20, 2012, as amended and supplemented by Decree-Law No. 2022-22 of April 21, 2022.
The Independent High Authority for Elections is composed of a Council, which holds decision-making authority, and an executive body.
The Council of the Independent High Authority for Elections is made up of seven (7) members.
The Independent High Authority for Elections is responsible for all operations related to the organization, administration, and supervision of elections and referendums, in accordance with the law and the electoral legislation.
Within this framework, the Authority is specifically entrusted with the following tasks:
- Maintain and permanently update the register of voters.
- Establish the electoral lists for each election or referendum, revise them when necessary, and publish them—notably on the official website of the Authority—within the deadlines set by the electoral law.
- Ensure the right to vote for every eligible elector.
- Guarantee equal treatment for all voters, candidates, and stakeholders throughout the electoral and referendum processes.
- Determine, publish, and implement the electoral and referendum calendar in accordance with the mandates provided for by the Constitution and the electoral law.
- Receive and decide on candidacy files for elections and declarations of participation in referendum campaigns, in accordance with the electoral legislation.
- Establish mechanisms for the organization, administration, and supervision of elections and referendums, ensuring their integrity and transparency.
- Conduct the vote counting and announce both preliminary and final results of elections and referendums.
- Develop codes of good electoral conduct ensuring respect for the principles of integrity, transparency, neutrality, sound management of public funds, and avoidance of conflicts of interest.
- Accredit representatives of candidates at polling stations, as well as observers, guests, and national and foreign journalists to follow the different stages of the electoral process. The Authority’s Council shall determine, by decision, the criteria and conditions for accreditation of observers, guests, foreign journalists, and interpreters assisting them.
- Train supervisors involved in the various components of the electoral process.
- Define programs for voter awareness and electoral education, and cooperate in this field with all components of civil society active in electoral matters, both nationally and internationally.
- Monitor compliance with the rules and means of electoral campaigns as set forth by electoral legislation, and ensure—together with public bodies—that they are respected in accordance with the law.
- Oversee the financing of electoral and referendum campaigns and take necessary related decisions, while guaranteeing equal access of all candidates to public funding.
- Propose measures for the development and improvement of the electoral system.
- Provide opinions on all draft texts related to elections and referendums.
- Prepare a special report on each electoral or referendum process within a maximum of three (3) months from the date of the announcement of the final results. This report shall be submitted to the President of the Republic and the Head of Government, and published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Tunisia and on the Authority’s official website.
- Prepare an annual report on the Authority’s activities during the past year and its action plan for the coming year. This report shall also be submitted to the President of the Republic and the Head of Government, and published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Tunisia and on the Authority’s official website.