Tunisian presidential candidate Hatem Boulbiyar on Wednesday claimed that the moderate Islamist Ennahdha party has been transformed from an institutional movement into a "one-man movement" led by its president, Rached Ghannouchi
CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th September, 2019) Tunisian presidential candidate Hatem Boulbiyar on Wednesday claimed that the moderate Islamist Ennahdha party has been transformed from an institutional movement into a "one-man movement" led by its president, Rached Ghannouchi,"Ennahdha is in its final stage; in all the party organizations, firstly, there is a foundation stage, then its peak, and after - its falling. Tunisians have a will to change, and Ennahdha party resists my candidacy," Boulbiyar said in an interview with Sputnik.
Campaigns of candidates running in Tunisia's snap presidential election, which was scheduled for September 15 following the death of President Mohamed Beji Caid Essebsi in late July, officially kicked off on Monday.
"I wanted to quit because the level of democracy in the party has sufficiently decreased, and Rached Ghannouchi made all the decisions in it," the candidate added.
All the movement's institutions, including the Shura Council to which Boulbiyar belonged, are no longer effective, according to the candidate.
Campaigns will continue until September 13.
Essebsi died on July 25 aged 92. On the same day, Mohamed Ennaceur, Tunisia's parliamentary speaker, was sworn in as acting president. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round of the elections, a runoff will be held no later than November 3.
