U.S. denies funding Tunisian President during 2019 elections

The US embassy in Tunisia has branded rubbish allegations by a Tunisian lawmaker that the administration of former President Donald Trump had financed the election of incumbent Tunisian president Kaïs Saïed in 2019.

Tunisian parliamentarian Rached Khiari from Ennhadha [leading party in the legislature] on Monday accused Kaïs Saïed to have received $5 million in financial aid from the US for his presidential electoral campaign.

Khiari showed a picture of the Tunisian leader coming out of a post office where he allegedly received a western Union transfer.

He challenged the president and vowed to provide further evidences for his accusations.

the US embassy in Tunis denied on Twitter any wrongdoing adding that Washington respects the sovereignty of Tunisia’s democracy.

 

“In reference to recent media reports, the U.S. government did not fund the presidential campaign of President Kaïs Saïed. The United States reaffirms its respect for the integrity and sovereignty of Tunisian democracy,” it said.

Following the accusations, the military prosecution office opened an investigation and summoned Khiari as defendant as well as the head of Kaïs Saïed’s electoral campaign.

Saïed won 2019 elections following the death of President Caid Bedji. The 63-year old politician has been in an open conflict with the Islamist party that he blames for some of the country’s woes.