The Independent High Authority for Elections in Tunisia accepted three candidates’ files for the upcoming presidential election on October 6.
This announcement was made late Saturday by the Authority’s Chairman, Farouk Bouasker, in Tunis.
Bouasker stated that as of the August 5 deadline, 17 presidential candidacy files had been received.
The period for submitting these candidacies started on July 29, as previously announced by the Authority.
The candidates preliminarily accepted are Zouhair Magzaoui, the Secretary-General of the People’s Movement, Kais Saied, the incumbent president, and Ayashi Zammal, President of the Azimoun Movement.
Fourteen candidacy files were rejected due to insufficient endorsements or because they failed to meet legal requirements.
Bouasker cited deficiencies in these files as reasons for the rejection.
In April, the National Salvation Front, the main opposition coalition, announced it would not participate in the elections, citing a “lack of competitive conditions.”
Authorities, however, insist the elections are fair and transparent.