- Title: Tunisian presidential candidates go head to head in televised debate
- Date: 11th October 2019
- Summary: TUNIS, TUNISIA (OCTOBER 11, 2019) (REUTERS) TUNISIANS AT CAFE WATCHING PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE PLAYING ON TELEVISION DEBATE SEEN ON TELEVISION SCREEN / TUNISIANS WATCHING VARIOUS OF TUNISIANS WATCHING DEBATE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COMMERCIAL OFFICER IN PRIVATE COMPANY, MOHAMED YASSER, SAYING: "This debate is very important for there to be equality between both candidates, this is why Kais Saied did not campaign until Nabil Karoui was released from prison. This is beneficial for Tunisians in particular- that both candidates present (their agendas) for everyone to see." VARIOUS OF TUNISIANS WATCHING DEBATE / SMOKING HOOKAH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TUNISIAN ENTREPRENEUR, RAED MAJDEEDY, SAYING: "During election campaigns there is usually music, people handing out leaflets to citizens, with no room for ideas. But when someone is sitting comfortably, watching a debate, and seeing the ideas presented, it makes the candidates' agendas clear. There are a lot of people who do not have the opportunity to reach political parties and ask questions or deliver a message, but here we have time to sit and discover who they are, what issues they are planning to solve, and to figure out who we will vote for." VARIOUS OF TUNISIANS WATCHING DEBATE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BUSINESS OWNER, ADEL KUKY, SAYING: "Hopefully as a result of this debate we will know who to vote for. The issues they are discussing are very important to us and it's also important that we see the person who will be representing us in the next five years, how he will deal with the Tunisian people, with neighbouring countries, with Europe, and with the world as a whole." VARIOUS OF TUNISIANS WATCHING DEBATE
- Embargoed: 25th October 2019 23:33
- Keywords: Tunisia Presidential Elections Presidential Debate Nabil Karoui Kais Saied
- Location: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- City: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- Country: Tunisia
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001B0NO0NB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tunisians watched as presidential candidates Kais Saied and Nabil Karoui went head-to-head for the first time in a live, televised debate just two days ahead of Sunday's (October 13) run-off vote.
The candidates were given a minute and a half to comment on issues relating to national security, economic policy, and the country's role in regional politics, including the ongoing crisis in Libya.
At a cafe in the capital, Tunisian watching the debate said it was beneficial to see the candidates in the hot seat as they mull who to cast their vote for come Sunday.
Supporters of Karoui, a self-assured businessman facing corruption charges, present Sunday's vote as a choice between a professionally successful, secular champion of Tunisia's poor and an inexperienced conservative backed by Islamists.
Backers of Saied, an awkward law professor who has barely campaigned in the race, see it as pitting a humble, principled representative of the 2011 revolution that brought democracy to the country against a glib, corrupt avatar of Tunisia's unchanging moneyed elite.
Although the president has fewer powers than a prime minister the post is still Tunisia's most senior directly elected official with wide political influence. The prime minister will be picked by the parliament that was elected last Sunday (October 6).
No polls have been published since before the election period, but Saied took 18.4% of votes in last month's first round and Karoui 15.6%.
(Production: Sayed Sheasha, Seham Eloraby) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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