“The Tunisian Brotherhood Move”… The Buzz of Rumors Precedes Elections
They manufacture rumors within their extremist ideology, giving birth to distorted lies that they propagate in the form of misleading slogans to poison public opinion and sow chaos.
This is how the Tunisian Brotherhood operate, the organization that has become marginal in the Tunisian political scene after being discredited by the people, yet still relies on inciting discord to make it a bridge to return.
Although similar plans have failed multiple times to grant them a ticket back, they continue to try to sow chaos, and this is what the “Salvation Front” is doing before the upcoming presidential elections.
The Front, which includes the Brotherhood‘ parties, their allies, and affiliates, spreads rumors claiming that the Tunisian authorities will not hold – or will not be able to hold – this event on schedule.
This happens despite the Tunisian presidency having already announced that the presidential elections will take place on time, thus respecting legal deadlines.
During a recent protest organized by the “Salvation Front,” the Tunisian Brotherhood claimed that they refuse to postpone the elections to next year, demanding the impeachment of President Kaïs Saïed and the release of the organization’s prisoners, led by their leader Rached Ghannouchi.
The president of the Front, Ahmed Najib Chebbi, claimed that the current political climate “does not guarantee any democratic conditions for holding fair elections due to the involvement of their leaders in prisons.”
Weapon of Rumors
Observers of the Tunisian political scene believe that the Brotherhood seek to inflame tensions and spread rumors to sabotage the electoral process.
The spokesperson for the Independent High Authority for Elections, Mohamed Tlili Mansri, said that the optimal date for the vote would be in October next year, without exceeding legal and constitutional deadlines, namely the 23rd of that month.
He confirmed that “if October 23rd is taken into account (for the vote), then the summoning of voters should not exceed July 23rd next year.”
He also emphasized that in the candidacy conditions for the presidential elections, card number 3 will be added, which proves the candidate’s clean criminal record.
Popular Failure
On the other hand, Omar Elfarni, a Tunisian political analyst, believes that the Brotherhood, after realizing their inability to mobilize the people, have begun to adopt a strategy of defamation to thwart the electoral date.
Elfarni said that “the Brotherhood failed after being rejected by the people,” explaining that “the march of the Brotherhood’s Salvation Front, which was organized on Sunday and which was prepared and announced two weeks ago, was a complete failure and gathered only a few participants.”
He pointed out that the Brotherhood were desperate in the face of this widespread public condemnation, considering that “the addition of card number 3 as a condition for candidacy for elections, which proves the absence of criminal records, ended all their hopes of running in this election.”
According to the expert, “all the leaders of the Brotherhood who could run are now excluded due to their involvement in legal issues,” noting that previously it was possible to run from inside prison, but with the addition of this condition (criminal records), all dreams of returning to power have ended.
These presidential elections will be the twelfth in Tunisia, and it is expected that the eighth president of the country will be elected for a term of five years, in accordance with the Constitution.
9 Potential Candidates
Recently, Tunisian President Kais Saied confirmed that the elections would take place on schedule, hinting that he would run for the presidency and asserting that “going back is not acceptable.”
The number of potential candidates for the “Carthage” seat has so far reached nine, between political parties and independents.
The potential candidates so far are President Kais Saied, former Minister of Commerce Mondher Zenaidi, journalist and businessman Nizar Chaari, and the president of the “Republic in March” party Alfa Hamidi.
The list also includes the Secretary-General of the “Republican People’s Union” party Lotfi Mraïhi, former Minister of Education and advisor to the late President Béji Caïd Essebsi, Naji Jalloul.
Tunisian actress Najwa Milad has also announced her candidacy for the presidential elections.
From their prison, the president of the Free Constitutional Party Abeer Moussi and the Secretary-General of the Republican Party Issam Chebbi announced their candidacy for the elections.
