Tunisia: First female presidential candidate presents herself

The Leader of the Democratic Movement for Construction and Reform (MDER) in Tunisia, Amna Mansour, announced her candidacy for the next presidential elections, making her the first woman in the history of the country to run for presidency.

Mansour told Tunisian radio station Mosaic on Monday that she is capable of adding value to many areas and that her candidacy helps towards strengthening the presence of women in decision-making circles and positions of responsibilities.

Ashraf Al-Matari, a member of the MDER Party, said Mansour has officially decided to run for the presidential race which is scheduled for the end of this year.

In a statement to the Anadolu news agency, he said Mansour’s decision to run came at the request of the party’s executive bureau.

By declaring her candidacy for the presidential race, Amna Mansour is considered the first woman in the history of Tunisia to compete in the presidential race.

The new Tunisian constitution allows for Tunisian women to run for all positions in the state.

MDER is a liberal, progressive party that emerged after the revolution of 2011. It has no representatives in the Constituent Assembly.

Tunisia is looking forward to holding presidential elections this year, though the election’s date has not yet been set. The General Legislation Committee at the Constituent Assembly is currently discussing the elections bill.

Tunisia has not yet determined whether the legislative and presidential elections will be held simultaneously – an option preferred by the Ennahda movement that heads the ruling coalition – or whether the two elections will be held separately in line with the preference of most Tunisian parties.