Tunis (AFP)
The three unpublished political parties of "debate" televised between 24 of the 26 Tunisian presidential candidates were greeted Tuesday by the press and analysts as a "democratic advance" undeniable, despite the shortcomings of the exercise.
"Everyone is unanimous in saying that this was a democratic advance and that it went well," said Nouri Lajmi, president of the Haica, the regulatory body for audiovisual media in Tunisia. "Even if everything is obviously not perfect, it was well controlled by journalists, the framework was respected and it was very well followed!", He told AFP.
According to figures from Sigma Consulting, some 3 million viewers watched the first show on Saturday, and 2.5 million on Sunday.
An extremely rare event in the Arab world, this televised "debate" was organized over three evenings, each gathering a group of presidential candidates drawn by lot.
It has been broadcast on thirty Tunisian public and private television channels and radio stations, as well as on social networks and several foreign Arab channels, according to the organizers.
Two candidates in trouble with the justice were absent: the advertising Nabil Karoui, pursued for money laundering and imprisoned since August 23, and the businessman Slim Riahi, who fled to France after a mandate of stop for the same facts.
Too smooth, too framed, emphasizing the form on the bottom: the Tunisian press however noted defects in the exercise.
"What to answer in 90 seconds when you are asked + how to fight against corruption in the field of security of the country? +"? asked the French-language daily La Presse.
"Success on the form, failure on the merits", for its part estimated the Arabic newspaper Le Maghreb.
"Lame, but historic", summed up the editorial of Le Quotidien, while La Presse wrote: "we are entitled, in all modesty, to show us quite proud".
The "debates", broadcast in some cafes, have been extensively commented on social networks. If no candidate has really created the surprise, the benefits of the anti-Islamist lawyer Abir Moussi, the human rights activist Mohamed Abbou or the liberal Mohsen Marzouk were noted.
"This contributes to the repoliticization of the population, who felt excluded from the debate," said researcher Isabelle Werenfels, hoping that this would contribute to "a good turnout in elections".
The present candidates were all committed to return to exchange if they reached the second round - the organizers have planned to organize a debate if the two opponents accept it.
© 2019 AFP