16\08\2019 Tunisia alert

Tunisia's electoral commission has approved a total of 26 candidates, but 71 were rejected.

The vote was caused by the death at age 92 last month of Beji Caid Essebsi, the first president to be democratically elected in Tunisia after the popular uprising of 2011. It will be the third free election in Tunisia since that uprising.

Candidates approved included Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, former premier Mehdi Jomaa, the vice-president of the moderate Islamist party Ennahda, tourism minister Salma Loumi, pro-ex-president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali supported Abir Moussi, Abdel Fattah Mourou, Defence Minister Abdelkarim Zbidi, Former Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki and the owner of the private channel Nessma TV, Nabil Karoui.

Tunisia’s president has control over foreign and defence policy, while prime minister controles domestic affairs.

https://www.france24.com/en/20190814-tunisia-commission-presidential-candidates-elections-caid-essebsi