Tunisia’s Independent High Authority for Elections (IHAE) has revealed that more than 15,000 candidates are competing in the October 6 elections for the 217-seat parliament.
There are 1,507 electoral lists in 33 districts, including six abroad.
The lists are distributed as follows: 163 coalition lists representing party alliances, 687 party lists and 722 independent lists.
This adds a lot of uncertainty given that independent candidates, who are seeking to win the legislative polls, dealt a blow to major political parties, mainly Ennahda Movement and Nidaa Tounes, after winning the municipal elections in May 2018.
Observers say the results of the first round of the presidential elections have revealed a decline in the role of major parties in affecting ballot results.
They highlighted the growing role of social media, which has become one of the most important factors in mobilizing voters in Tunisia where more than seven million people use it.
It was also noticed that copies of a large number of electoral lists weren’t hung in the designated sites in a number of neighborhoods in the Tunisian capital. Candidates most likely preferred to launch their campaigns on social media.
Other electoral lists, according to communication experts, relied on “Facebook militias” that were closer to voters during the first round of presidential elections and resulted in electing two candidates for the second round.
Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi said Friday his party and Nabil Karoui’s Heart of Tunisia party would be the main forces in the parliamentary elections.
Ennahda would not seek a coalition with parties suspected of corruption, he added.
Ghannouchi warned against a scenario in which retired law professor Kais Said, who is supported by Ennahda, wins the next round of presidential polls and in which Heart of Tunisia wins the parliamentary elections.
He said in a press conference that this would result in disagreements between heads of the executive branch, hinting to the possibility of renewed tension that marked the relationship of late President Beji Caid Essebsi with Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.
