Tunis, August 6 — The deadline for submitting candidacies for the October 6 presidential elections, which began on July 29, expired at 6pm on Tuesday.

Seventeen candidacy files were submitted to the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), according to its spokesperson Mohamed Tlili Mansri, who stressed that the file could not be considered complete until the ISIE Board makes its decision, starting Wednesday.

114 people have picked up the citizen endorsement signature form from the ISIE website, 93% of them men and only 7% women, according to the updated list published on the ISIE website.

Among the presidential candidates who have submitted their files are Kais Saied, the outgoing president, Zouhair Maghzaoui, secretary-general of the Echaab Movement, former minister Neji Jalloul, former MP Safi Saïd, former minister (before the December 17, 2010 - January 14, 2011) Revolution Mondher Zenaidi and president of the Free Destourian Party, Abir Moussi.

After the submission of candidacies, a period of examination of the files submitted to the ISIE will take place from August 7 to 10. The ISIE Board will announce the provisional list of successful candidates on August 11.

According to ISIE President Farouk Bouasker, the final list of candidates will be announced on September 4, after the end of the appeal period.

Some candidates, such as Mondher Zenaidi and Safi Saïd, had not yet received their criminal records certificate (Bulletin No. 3) on the last day of the candidacies filing period.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior announced that it had responded positively to all requests to obtain Bulletin No. 3, except those made by candidates involved in criminal cases or under judicial investigation.