Tunisian Presidential Candidate Vows to Expand Ties With Russia, China If Elected

Zouhair Maghzaoui will challenge incumbent President Kais Saied and businessman Ayachi Zammel at the ballot next month. The 59-year-old worked as a math teacher and began his political career as a labor union activist. He led the People’s Movement from 2013 until August 2024 and has been a member of parliament since 2014.

Tunisian presidential candidate Zouhair Maghzaoui told Sputnik that he would expand ties with Russia, China, Brazil, and the rest of Africa, as well as with BRICS if elected, in order to rebuild the country’s economy.

“The Tunisian foreign policy has long been hostage to ties with its traditional partners, mainly the European Union. These relations are rooted in the [European] hegemony, and this needs change … We believe that the world has become a bigger place, and we should expand relations and become more open to rising global powers, such as Russia, China, Brazil, BRICS, and other organizations, which can help the Tunisian economy recover,” Maghzaoui said.

The Tunisian lawmaker, who until recently led the leftist People’s Movement, said it was inconceivable that the North African nation had embassies in only six African countries and had no direct air links to many more countries on the continent. He pledged to activate ties with African and Arab countries if he were to win the October 6 presidential election.

“We will make it our priority to expand Tunisia’s foreign contacts as well as to review the existing international relations, which we consider unfair … for example, the migration agreement with Italy or the agreement on ‘green hydrogen’ production with France,” he added.