Tunisians abroad began voting Friday in the run-off presidential election between candidates Kais Said and Nabil Karoui.
Some 400,000 Tunisian voters abroad are eligible to vote until Sunday, when voting takes place at home.
The Independent Electoral Commission has allocated 386 polling stations in 46 countries, and hopes to achieve a higher turnout abroad than in the first round, which was about 20%.
The two candidates will conclude this evening their campaigns to enter the country since midnight the stage of electoral silence. The independent candidate, Qais Said, is to face his rival, the candidate of the "Heart of Tunisia" party, which came second in the legislative elections after Ennahda, in a television debate.
In its final days, the presidential campaign has witnessed several developments.Nabil Karoui, a businessman and head of the Heart of Tunisia party, was released after weeks in prison on suspicion of money laundering and tax evasion.He is still subject to judicial procedures including a travel ban and a freeze on funds.
In addition to the developments of his case, the villager's campaign has been overshadowed by media leaks about his contract with a Canadian company headed by former Israeli Mossad officer Ari Ben Menashe to seek the support of foreign leaders such as US President Donald Trump, thus enhancing his chances in the presidential elections.
In an interview with a private Tunisian television channel last night, Karoui admitted that he met Ben Menashe, but at the same time attacked his rival Qais Said as one of Ennahdha's arms.
Prior to his release, Saeed refrained from campaigning in person to achieve the principle of equal opportunities between him and his rival.