Tahya Tounes has declared the party leader, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, as its candidate in the presidential elections that are scheduled to be held on September 15, following the death of President Beji Caid Essebsi last week. Analysts see Chahed as a top candidate in the early elections that are set to witness stiff competition amid expectations that former Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa former president Moncef Marzouki and several others would run in the polls. Candidates will be able to submit their files starting Friday. They have until August 9 to submit their candidacies. Several political leaders and independents expressed their intention to run for the presidency. The list of more than 17 names is expected to grow. According to initial information, the majority of candidates belong to political parties or are previous members. MP Faisal al-Tebini, for example, affirmed that he garnered the signature of 12 deputies to recommend Abdelkrim Zbidi for the coming presidency, knowing that the law stipulates that candidates get the signature of 10 deputies, and of 10,000 voters or 40 municipality heads. Other candidates include President of the Constituent Assembly of Tunisia Mustapha Ben Jafar, former Ennahda member Hammadi Jabali, opposition politician Ahmed Najib al-Shabi in addition to law professor Kais Saied, President of the Democratic Current Mohamed Abbou, and head of the Heart of Tunisia Party Nabil Karoui. The Islamist Ennahda Movement hasn’t yet disclosed any information about its possible candidate. It didn’t even declare support to any other prospective candidates.