Tunis: Spokesman for the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), Mohamed Tlili Mansri, announced on Monday the start of the race for endorsements of presidential candidates. This includes parliamentary endorsements, which are collected from members of the two houses of parliament and require a legalised signature, and citizen endorsements (which do not require a legalised signature). In a statement to TAP news agency, Mansri called on candidates to contact the body's headquarters and regional offices, or Tunisian delegations or diplomatic missions abroad, and submit their details to create a digital file and an endorsement form containing the candidate's personal details and photo. The endorsement form for each candidate will be published by the ISIE on its website. It is then up to the candidate to distribute it to voters in order to obtain the required number of endorsements," explained Mansri. He added that the aim of this approach was to ensure the credibility of the electoral process and to avoid false endorsements. At a press conference last week, the ISIE unveiled the electoral calendar for the upcoming presidential election on October 6. The president of the ISIE spoke of the new criteria required of candidates, particularly on the issue of endorsements. Candidates must secure the endorsement of ten members of the Assembly of People's Representatives or the National Council of Regions and Districts, or 40 elected presidents of local authorities (local, regional or district councils) in office at the time of acceptance of candidacy, or the endorsement of 10,000 registered voters spread over at least 10 legislative constituencies, with a minimum of 500 voters per constituency. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse