Late on Saturday night, 8 November, Ennahdha’s consultative council announced its call on its members to vote massively in favor of those whom they deem fit to serve the national interests of Tunisia, in the upcoming 23 November presidential elections. Thus, Ennhadha has decided to assume officially a neutral position vis-à-vis the 25 candidates. Observers have decoded the decision in different ways. Some saw in it a tacit support to Mouncif Merzouki, while others read in it a sign of rapprochement with Begi Caid Esebssi. A large section of the Ennahdha’s base, especially the youth, seems to be in favor of Merzouki. However, supporters of the latter criticize the movement’s leadership for not supporting Merzouki publically, as a symbol of the 2011 revolution, in order to bar the road figures from the former Ben Ali regime.
