Local elections: number of women candidates is 939, say Tunisian Mediterranean Centre

Ahlem Nsiri, representative of the Tunisian Mediterranean Centre, which focuses on women's participation in elections, said the number of women candidates in the local elections did not exceed 939, including 138 direct candidates (people with disabilities). She recalled that the rate of rejection of women candidates was more than 10%. Nsiri reported that most women candidates did not appeal against the rejection of their candidacies. It explained this attitude by the obstacle of the geographical distance that separates them from the courts in their regions and, according to her, certain complexities contained in the electoral law. During its observation of the election campaign, the Centre noted a reticence in terms of activities, which were limited to field visits and direct communication with voters in markets and on the streets. The Centre reported that 85% of women candidates did not have a budget for their campaigns and that 50% of them relied on social media. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse