Amal Hilali - Tunisia
The presence of many wives of presidential candidates in the election campaigns has aroused the curiosity of Tunisians and raised questions about the nature of the roles they play in supporting their husbands, whether by actively engaging in election campaigns or by moral support.
Specific names have succeeded in attracting the attention of the media and social media pioneers through their prominent political role in raising the chances of their husbands to win, such as Samia Abbou, the wife of candidate Mohamed Abbou, and Salwa Samawi, the wife of the arrested candidate in cases of tax evasion Nabil Karoui.
The title of "First Lady" has long aroused resentment among Tunisians for being associated with Laila Trabelsi, the wife of ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and Wassila Ben Ammar, wife of the late President Habib Bourguiba, and their absolute influence and interference in political decisions.
The revolution marked a turning point in the relationship of the wives of Tunisian presidents to power, and their appearance was limited to some national occasions such as the wives of the late President Beji Kaid Essebsi, Moncef Marzouki and Mohamed Nasser.
MP Samia Abbou is keen to exist alongside her husband, presidential candidate Mohamed Abbou, believing - as she tells Al-Jazeera Net - "his abundant chances of winning and being the best president to govern Tunisia."
Samia Abbou does not hesitate to advise her husband, based on years of political experience, and recorded her presence in all activities and popular meetings organized by the Democratic Current Party.
Not long ago, the name of Salwa Samawi's wife, Nabil Karoui, was not familiar to Tunisians, but her husband's arrest and imprisonment days before the election campaign on charges of financial corruption and money laundering showed her publicly.
Heavenly Meshaal received from her husband to lead herself campaign and toured several Tunisian provinces and attend popular meetings to publicize his election program.
The wife of the candidate Abdul Karim Zubaidi recorded a sudden presence through the media, where the newspaper "Maghreb Street" told her a video interview during which revealed Faiza Zubaidi role in convincing her husband to run for the presidency.
She stressed her absolute support, praising his qualities and the right to be president, but stressed in return that she will not play any political role if her husband wins.
The candidate's wife, Hatem Boulbiyar, has been involved in supporting her husband through her Instagram social account, which has hundreds of thousands of followers.
Unlike the wives of Karoui, Abbou and Zoubaidi, who believe their husbands have access to the presidency, Camellia Polbier has ruled out having the title of First Lady while attending a television show.
While some wives of presidential candidates have chosen to appear publicly, others have gone into hiding and backing behind the scenes, such as the wife of candidate Youssef Chahed, Marzouki, Hamadi Jebali and Abdel Fattah Moro.
It is noteworthy that 26 candidates are running in the presidential race on Sunday, at a time when the campaigns reached a record level of tension and the exchange of charges between the candidates.
During his meeting with the President of the Independent High Electoral Commission Nabil Buffon, Acting President Mohammed Nasser stressed the importance of "clearing the electoral climate and providing all conditions for the success of the electoral process."
double-edged sword
Communication professor Salwa al-Sharafi says that the appearance of wives of presidential candidates alongside their husbands, especially during the presidential election, is a Western tradition, especially in America and Europe.
She believes that this appearance hides clear propaganda messages to supporters of this or that candidate in the framework of identification with the citizen voter, and to highlight the image of the father and husband and share family details with his favorite candidate.
She stressed that the Tunisians negatively recall the history of the rule of the late President Bourguiba and the deposed Ben Ali, who was associated in their minds with the influence of their wives, Leila Trabelsi and Wassila Ben Ammar, and their domination of the political decision and the secrets of the rule.
She noted that most of the wives of presidential candidates play important roles in supporting their husbands, but some chose to appear public and others felt support behind the curtain.
She warned, however, that the appearance of some wives of presidential candidates was a double-edged sword, among wives who could make the addition and raise the popularity of their husbands.