Tunisia's electoral body dismisses court ruling that reinstated presidential candidates
Tunisia's electoral commission rejected on Monday an administrative court ruling that had reinstated three presidential election candidates, leaving just two challengers to face incumbent leader Kais Saied in next month's vote.
Tunisia's electoral authority on Monday announced it had approved three presidential candidates for the October 6 election, including incumbemt President Kais Saied, dismissing three other would-be candidates despite court rulings allowing them to run.
The three dismissed candidates had last week won appeals at the Administrative Court against a decision from the High Independent Authority for Elections (ISIE) disqualifying them from running.
The authority had said they had not obtained enough of the endorsements required to run for the top post. They were among 14 hopefuls whose bids for the race were rejected.
On Monday, the ISIE said its initial list was "definitive and not subject to appeal".
It said it was maintaining the same list announced on August 10 because "the administrative court did not officially communicate its decisions within the 48-hour deadline according to the law".
As it stands, former parliamentarian Zouhair Maghzaoui and businessman Ayachi Zammel are set to challenge Saied, the election's frontrunner.
Zammel was however arrested earlier Monday on charges of lying about details of his campaign, according to his team.
Zammel is the only approved candidate to be arrested, but he joins a list of presidential hopefuls who have been imprisoned or are facing prosecution.
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