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.
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
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Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
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The Lowdown
Us
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Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
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Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
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Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
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Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
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It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
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Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
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Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
