Tunisia’s Kais Saied to face two ex-MPs in presidential election

Only three candidate will be in the running in Tunisia’s October 6 presidential election, the country’s electoral authority announced on Monday.
The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) said it had rejected rulings by the Administrative Court to reinstate three candidates, leaving only President Kais Saied and two former members of parliament, Zouhair Maghzaoui and Ayachi Zammel, in the race.
Although the Administrative Court upheld appeals by Abdellatif El Mekki, Mondher Znaidi and Imed Daimi against their disqualification, the ISIE had not received the rulings within 48 hours as stipulated in Tunisia’s electoral law, its president, Farouk Bouasker, said at a press conference in Tunis.
The electoral authority’s decision sets a precedent in Tunisia, as the orders of the Administrative Court have previously been considered binding.
The ISIE had rejected the three candidates on the grounds that they did not have enough valid voter signatures as required by the electoral law.
Mr Bouasker accused the opposition presidential hopefuls of using manipulation, falsification and bribery to get voter signatures.
One of them was also found to have dual nationality, he alleged.
Tunisia’s electoral law bars candidates who hold dual citizenship, or whose parents or grandparents have held foreign citizenship.