Tunisia’s presidential election may exemplify transition to democracy for Arab world - Lawmaker

Tunisia has the chance to serve as an example of a transition to democracy for Arab countries if it manages to organise the upcoming presidential election, a Tunisian parliament member said.

Fatima Massadi, from the Nidaa Tounes bloc, expressed this opinion in an interview with Sputnik on Thursday.

The first round of the snap election in Tunisia is scheduled for Sept. 15, with as many as 26 candidates competing for the position.

“Days of silence,” preceding the vote, will begin in Tunisia on Sept. 13, but until then, the election campaign, with all the heat and a fierce struggle for votes, is in full swing.

“This is a kind of a test for democracy.

“If we can preserve democracy and enforce the law on all those, who commit violations, Tunisia will become an example of a state that is confidently following the path of building democracy.

“To achieve this, the independent election commission has to apply the law to everyone with the utmost rigor.

“That is when Tunisia will become an example of democracy and dispel a myth that the Arab countries are not ready for democracy,” the lawmaker said.

Nidaa Tounes (Tunisia’s Call) is a popular liberal secular party which advocates for separating religion and state and developing a strong civil society.

Late Tunisian President Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi was a member.

Massadi also noted that unequal opportunities for the election campaign were among the problems that the election participants faced.

“The Prime Minister (Youssef Chahed, one of the leaders of the election race), apparently, has great financial opportunities for campaigning.

“There is also evidence that candidates use state human and physical resources,” the lawmaker said.

The decision to hold the snap presidential election in Tunisia was made after the 92-year-old president, who led the country for the past five years, died on July 25.

By the end of the eight-day process of accepting nominations – from Aug. 2 to Aug. 9 – the Independent High Authority for Elections (IHAE) in Tunisia had received 97 requests for nomination.

This included 75 independents and 11 female candidates.

On Aug. 31, the IHAE released the final list of candidates for the presidential race, accepting 26 nominees, including two women, and rejecting 71 applications for failing to meet candidacy requirements.

The IHAE is considered one of the achievements of the 2011 Revolution. It is a nine-member permanent body based in Tunis which enjoys administrative and financial independence.

Its mission is to “ensure democratic, pluralistic, fair and transparent elections and referendums” and supervise as well as oversee all related processes.

The election campaigns started on Sept. 2 and will continue until Sept. 13, with Sept. 17 as the deadline for the announcement of the preliminary election results.

Oct. 21 is scheduled for the announcement of the final results. In case of no absolute majority vote, a second round will be held after two weeks. (Sputnik/NAN)