Presidential campaign opens in Tunisia after Essebsi death

Seven million Tunisians are expected to head to the ballot box in the September 15 poll, which was brought forward from November following Essebsi's death in July.

Essebsi,Tunisia's first democratically-elected president, took office in the wake of the 2011 uprising that overthrew former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked revolts across the Arab world.

The North African country has faced economic woes and repeated militant attacks -- including a gun battle in the northwest on Monday that killed a national guard officer and three suspected militants.

"Terrorists are still around but Tunisia is stronger," said Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, among those vying for the presidency.

The vote comes with Tunisia's political class divided by internal conflicts, including a struggle between Chahed and Essebsi's son, leading the premier to quit the ruling Nidaa Tounes party and form Tahia Tounes.

The latter has since become the second largest party in parliament, behind the extremist-inspired Ennahdha party.

Aged 43, Chahed is Tunisia's youngest prime minister, but since he took office his popularity has been hit by instability, inflation and unemployment.

Other candidates include interim parliamentary speaker Abdelfattah Mourou, of Ennahdha, and former defense minister Abdelkrim Zbidi.

Another powerful opponent could be media magnate Nabil Karoui, who despite his arrest on August 23 for alleged money laundering is still legally allowed to run.

That makes for a vote markedly different from the 2014 election which had just two frontrunners -- Essebsi and former president Moncef Marzouki.

"It is the first time that Tunisians have no idea who will become their president," said the Tunis-based Joussour think-tank. "Now everything is possible."

Karoui controversy

Chahed launched his overseas campaign Saturday in the French city of Lyon, casting himself as a human rights defender.

Some 1.2 million Tunisians live overseas, mainly in Europe.

"We hope to speak with Tunisians to explain to them... our vision for a stronger Tunisia, a more modern and developed Tunisia, and a Tunisia that truly believes in the universal values of human rights," he told AFP ahead of a campaign meeting.

He also denied accusations from Karoui backers that he had masterminded the arrest of the controversial media magnate.

Karoui, who recently set up a political party, Heart of Tunisia, has said he was targeted by "attempts to undermine his growing popularity."

In recent years, Karoui used his popular Nessma TV, which is now banned from covering the election, to launch high-profile charity campaigns.

Chahed's government tried to eliminate Karoui from the race, passing an amended electoral code through parliament -- but it was not ratified by Essebsi before his death.

Tunisia's electoral commission, which on Saturday approved the final list of 26 hopefuls, has banned the publication of opinion polls, making it difficult for pundits to evaluate each candidate's strength.

'Power cannot be shared'

Zbidi told AFP in an interview that if he were elected, he was determined to "restart the social ladder" and make public services "accessible" for all Tunisians.

The former defense minister, who presents himself as an independent technocrat, said he would like constitutional changes to give the head of state more powers.

"Power cannot be shared," he said.

But he called for a referendum to choose a "parliamentary regime or a presidential one."

Ennahdha's candidate Mourou is a founding member of the extremist party and the first presidential candidate it has ever fielded.

Political analyst Hamza Meddeb said he believed Mourou would make it to the second round of voting expected to be held in the first week of November.

"The big unknown is who will be his rival," Karoui, Chahed or Zbidi, he said.

The final list of candidates includes only two women -- former tourism minister Salma Elloumi and Abir Moussi, who heads a group formed from the remnants of Ben Ali's ruling party.

Campaigning ends on September 13, two days ahead of voting.