Tunisia's Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) has issued a new decree that amends some provisions of its basic law. The decree, numbered 3 of 2026, was published in the Official Gazette on Wednesday. According to ISIE spokesperson Mohamed Tlili Mansri, the decree allows the body's laws to align with the 2022 constitution. The new constitution stipulates that the ISIE consists of nine members who serve for six years without renewal.
The previous law, number 23 of 2012, provided for seven members serving four-year terms. Mansri added that the new decree introduces two new categories of members: a statistics expert and a retired diplomat. These members are crucial to the ISIE's work, as the statistics expert will help with the distribution of polling stations and centers, while the diplomat will oversee the distribution of electoral materials abroad.
The decree's fourth article ensures continuity within the ISIE by allowing current members to continue their work until the new council takes office. The current council is responsible for organizing by-elections in case of vacancies and managing procedures related to the rotation of members in regional and local councils. Mansri emphasized that the new council's start date is beyond the ISIE's control, as it depends on the President's invitation to relevant bodies to nominate their representatives.
The new decree consists of five articles that concern the composition of the ISIE council, the term of its members, and the selection process. According to article 5, the ISIE council comprises nine independent and impartial members with expertise and integrity. Three members are chosen by the President for their experience in managing or supervising elections. Three judges are proposed by the judiciary councils, and two experts - in information systems and statistics - are nominated by the National Center for Information and the National Institute for Statistics, respectively.
A retired diplomat is also part of the council, nominated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad. The President receives proposals from these bodies and appoints the ISIE council members by decree. The new decree was issued after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, chaired by the President, to discuss several draft decrees.
Mansri highlighted that the new decree addresses a potential gap in the ISIE's membership, ensuring the continuity of its work. The decree also provides for the renewal of one-third of the council's members every two years. This process aims to maintain the ISIE's independence and impartiality.
The changes introduced by the decree aim to strengthen the ISIE's structure and ensure the integrity of the electoral process in Tunisia. The new composition of the ISIE council is expected to enhance the body's ability to organize free and fair elections.
Key points
- The new decree aligns the ISIE's laws with the 2022 constitution, ensuring the body's independence and impartiality.
- The decree introduces new categories of members, including a statistics expert and a retired diplomat, to support the ISIE's work.
- The decree provides for the continuity of the ISIE's work by allowing current members to continue their tasks until the new council takes office.
