Candidates go to public radio and TV to air campaign

Tunis 17 October 2004 -- Presidential and legislative candidates are using Tunisian public radio and television to air their campaigns.

Tunisian main TV channel " Tunis 7" and Tunisian national radio ("R adio Tunis ") are covering the various presidential and legislative campaigns. They are also airing pre-recorded 5 minute messages from legislative candidates.

According to calculations by the independent daily "Al Shourouq", about 85 % of the campaign air time will be used the candidates from the six opposition parties competing the majority party, the RCD, for seats in the Chamber of deputies. The remainder will go to the majority party candidates.

Based on electoral regulations, each electoral slate participating in the legislative race has the right of access to 5 minutes of air time on national TV. Accordingly, the RCD -which is running in all the races of the 26 legislative districts-, will have access to a total of 130 minutes during the campaign. The six opposition parties will have access to 840 minutes.

A little less than 1,000 candidates are running for parliament. Legislative candidates represent seven (7) parties: the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) (152 candidates), the Movement of Socialist Democrats (MDS) (152), the Unionist Democratic Union (UDU) (132), Attajdid Movement (129), the Party of Popular Unity (PUP) (152), the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) (89) and the Liberal Social Party (PSL) (134). This in addition to independent lists(39).

Candidates to legislative elections will compete for 189 parliamentary seats. A total of 37 seats are reserved for those not winning the majority of votes. (This formula guarantees a minimum number of seats for the Opposition candidates. On that basis, the latter have obtained 34 seats out of 182 in the 1999 legislative elections, against 19 seats out of 163 in the 1994 elections).

Women constitute 25% of RCD candidates to legislative elections. For the first time in the history of independent Tunisia, RCD lists do not include any member of the Government.