Tunis, Sep 15 : The electoral campaign for the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for October 6, officially began on Tunisian soil, two days after it began abroad.

According to Tunisia's Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), the campaign which started on Saturday will continue until midnight on October 4, Xinhua news agency reported.

On September 2, the ISIE announced the final list of three candidates: incumbent President Kais Saied, who is running for a second five-year term; Secretary-General of the People's Movement party, Zouhair Maghzaoui; and Secretary-General of the Azimoun Movement, Ayachi Zammel, who is still in detention for election-related irregularities.

In the case of a second round, the presidential campaign will resume the day after the publication of the final results of the first round.

The final results of the presidential election will be announced by November 9 at the latest.

The ISIE has already published the model of the ballot paper and established rules of transparency and neutrality during the campaign, with specific prohibitions to ensure a fair trial.

Among these measures, it is forbidden to publish political polls until the official announcement of the results.

The Central Bank of Tunisia has also issued a circular regarding the electoral accounts of the candidates, specifying the methods of financing and prohibiting any contribution from foreign entities or individuals.

Despite the start of the campaign, the climate in the country appears marked by a certain disinterest and concern for possible reactions from the opposition or attempts at sabotage.

Earlier on Friday, demonstrations in Tunis saw hundreds of people, including activists and members of civil society, protesting for the defence of rights and freedoms, demanding the cancellation of decrees considered repressive, such as Article 54 that regulates crimes in the media.

In recent days, moreover, the Tunisian authorities have arrested dozens of activists, including members of the Islamist movement Ennahda, generating further political tensions in the country.

Tunisia holds a presidential election every five years, with Saied having served as President since his election in 2019.

/IANS