Tunisia’s second round of elections for the Parliament’s House of Representatives is set to take place on Sunday, after inconclusive first-round results last month.
Tunisians in 133 constituencies will be voting in Sunday’s runoffs for representatives in the newly established two-chamber parliamentary system set up under the new constitution. The vote will be for members of the House of Representatives while a date for elections to the second chamber, the National Council of Regions and Districts, has yet to be set.
Since the suspension — and later dissolution — of the previous parliament, Tunisian President Kais Saied has ruled the country through executive decrees as part of what he calls a state of exceptional measures.
After a meeting between Mr Saied and the Minister of Interior, Taoufik Charfeddine, the Tunisian Presidency released a statement on its Facebook page.
“The president of the republic emphasised the need for all concerned parties to adhere to the principle of complete neutrality so that voters could freely express their will,” it said.
Many of Tunisia’s established parties have called for a boycott of the election, saying the political system, which was established under a constitution passed in a referendum with only 30 per cent turnout, was undemocratic.
But despite his previous boycott of the constitutional referendum and his partial disapproval of the new Tunisian constitution, final round candidate Malik Kammoun, 26, said he shared Mr Saied’s vision for the country’s political system.
“After my initial boycott of the referendum, I realised that my ‘No’ would not change anything,” Mr Kammoun, candidate for the Sakiet Zit constituency of Sfax governorate, told The National.
The political science researcher believes Tunisia’s former ‘hybrid’ [semi-presidential, semi-parliamentary] political system is what led the country into political crisis — hence a system that focuses on people instead of parties is something that resonates with him.
“We need the parliament to retrieve its power and to reassume its role as a tool that enshrines local decision-making,” he said.
Tunisians vote in referendum on constitution - in pictures
Tunisia’s electoral law was changed through a decree issued by Mr Saied in September, with one major change being that voters now cast ballots for individual candidates instead of party lists.
The system has been the target of criticism in the past few months, with several political parties accusing the legislature of excluding them.
“The law did not exclude parties, some of them decided to boycott and that’s different,” Mr Kammoun said.
“All political parties today need to subject themselves to auto-critique instead of insisting on failure and playing the role of heroes."
For the young candidate, his mission is as difficult as it gets with Tunisians losing faith and trust in the nation's politicians.
“My constituency has over 140,000 residents, if I only manage to restore faith in political action in my region, I believe that the general status quo would change,” Mr Kammoun told The National.
“Our country needs reconstruction, not only reform. If the president chose to walk that way, I would walk with him. However, if he does not and continues to be as dogmatic as he is now, I will not think twice about standing up to him.”
With an economic crisis affecting the daily lives of citizens, critics doubt the election of a new parliament will bring the solutions the people hope for and the country needs.
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MATCH INFO
Aston Villa 1 (Konsa 63')
Sheffield United 0
Red card: Jon Egan (Sheffield United)
FIXTURES
Saturday
5.30pm: Shabab Al Ahli v Al Wahda
5.30pm: Khorfakkan v Baniyas
8.15pm: Hatta v Ajman
8.15pm: Sharjah v Al Ain
Sunday
5.30pm: Kalba v Al Jazira
5.30pm: Fujairah v Al Dhafra
8.15pm: Al Nasr v Al Wasl
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
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Chatham House Rule
A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding, was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
organisation”.
The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
following the Ukraine invasion had broadcast Mr Putin’s chicanery.
The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
with Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher among those helping it provide
authoritative commentary on world events.
Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
International Affairs following the peace conferences of World War One. Its
founder, Lionel Curtis, wanted a more scientific examination of international affairs
with a transparent exchange of information and ideas.
That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
House Rule” states that the contents of any meeting can be discussed outside Chatham
House but no mention can be made identifying individuals who commented.
This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
allowing a greater degree of free speech from high-ranking figures.
These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
revealed in the Wikileaks reporting – were thus found to have broken the rule. However,
most speeches are held on the record.
Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
policymakers enabling them to more coherently address troubling issues from climate
change to health and food security.
Results:
5pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600 metres
Winner: Dasan Da, Saeed Al Mazrooei (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Saabah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Mukaram, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: MH Tawag, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) | Dh70,000 | 1,400m
Winner: RB Inferno, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Juthoor, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
