World Bulletin / News Desk

Tunisian Interim President Moncef Marzouki will officially file his candidacy application for Tunisia's upcoming presidential poll within 48 hours, a well-placed political source said Friday.

"Presidential spokesman Adnan Mansar will hold a press conference in Tunis on Saturday to officially announce that Marzouki will contest the elections," the source told Anadolu Agency.

Mansar has been named by some Tunisian media outlets as Marzouki's campaign manager, should the latter contest the November 23 polls.

In August, Tunisia's Congress for the Republic Party said it would support Marzouki, who also serves as honorary party chairman, in the upcoming elections.

Presidential hopefuls have until September 22 to present their candidacy applications to Tunisia's electoral commission.

Several political figures have already registered since the commission began accepting applications on September 8.

These include Mustapha Ben Jafar, who leads Tunisia's elected Constituent Assembly; Mohamed Hechmi Hamdi, a senior member of Tunisia's Republican Party; and veteran politician Beji Caid el Sebsi, head of the Tunisian Call Party.

Tunisia is also expected to hold parliamentary elections on October 26, according to a law approved recently by the Constituent Assembly.

The second round of presidential polls is also expected to be held before the end of the year, following the announcement of first-round results.

There are 190 political parties in Tunisia, most of which emerged following the 2011 uprising that ended the rule of longtime autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.