The Tunisian Independent High Authority for Elections has called for amendments on the electoral law to allow for early presidential elections after the death of incumbent Beji Caid Essebsi.
During a press conference held in Tunis, the Authority’s chairman, Nabil Baffoun, said that it would be difficult to hold the polls during the timeframe set by the constitution without any amendments.
Tunisian Speaker Mohamed Ennaceur took the reins as interim president on July 25, hours after Essebsi’s death.
Ennaceur, who called on Tunisians to show "solidarity", now had 90 days to organize a presidential poll.
But Baffoun called for amending article 49 of the electoral law, a move that would cut down the time limit to 84 days, which would allow the polls to be held on September 15 as called for by the Authority and set the second round of elections to September 29.
The Authority also announced that since July 22 it has received 1,592 applications for the parliamentary elections set to be held in October.
Baffoun stated that “the applications included 695 party lists, 190 coalition lists, and 707 independent lists.”
Tunisia is expected to hold its parliamentary elections on October 6 at home, and on October 4, 5 and 6, for Tunisians living abroad.
