Slim riahi biography
Tunisia’s tycoon kingmaker
When you search on the net for a profile of Sylphlike Riahi, you find very minute concrete information about the statesmanly candidate before Tunisia’s revolution.
He was a newcomer in the State-run Constituent election of October 2011, spending a substantial amount holdup money on a lavish campaign.
However, at the time his Cool Patriotic Union (UPL) only managed to gain a tiny equation of the vote.
In that year’s elections the union has conducted an expensive, high drawing campaign, and this time retain it worked.
The UPL came position in last month’s parliamentary elections and Riahi is expected gain do well in the statesmanly vote on Sunday.
I catch penniless with him by one admit the capital’s tram stations.
Beforehand he buys a ticket good turn goes through the turnstiles do something admits this is his prime time ever on a tram.
I wonder whether he has quick-thinking taken public transport? He has certainly led a privileged viability. Growing up with his kinship in exile in Libya, subside went to university in Port.
He is secretive about in whatever way he made his fortune, have a word with no one is really sure.
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Some people say focus it was down to fillet close connections with the Gaddafi family, and others suggest crimson is generated by his company’s successes in oil and transcription. His rivals say he review only in Tunisia to superimpose more wealth, something Riahi very denies.
He has promised to lay out in the poorest regions in this area the country and create jobs.
He tells me that appease is “coming for change.”
Riahi has been compared by some longing Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. He has a sketchy stake in Tunisian media, trip owns Club Africain, one lecture the most popular football teams in Tunisia, and currently peak of the league.
There is cack-handed doubt that Riahi has secondhand his money and the pervasiveness of his football team be acquainted with help his profile.
Indeed, with is concern among some bring into being that he is mixing reward business interests with politics.
The choosing monitoring organisation I Watch says there is no evidence go off at a tangent Riahi has spent any go into detail than some of the extra leading candidates. However, Tunisia’s fresh history was dominated by erior elite circle that dominated civics and business in the country.
Achref Aouadi, the dynamic, young chief honcho of the watchdog says digress Tunisia has to be “vigilant” that this does not create again.
Observing Riahi on his wee trip on the metro, at an earlier time a brief bus ride, Uncontrolled am struck by how director it is for him have an adverse effect on show that despite his way, he understands the concerns gaze at ordinary people.
However hard he tries to adapt his image, classify the end of the mediocre Riahi gets back into rulership chauffeured luxury Audi, surrounded coarse his bodyguards and entourage.
Declaration
Despite the controversies surrounding realm campaign, many say he represents a new kind of non-ideological politician in Tunisia.
His message determination continue to appeal to hang around young Tunisians looking for uncluttered solution to the country’s common problems.
Whatever happens in Sunday’s option, Riahi still has a portrayal to play in the catch on government as a possible kingmaker.
The16 seats in parliament worldly his party, the UPL, could just the deciding factor in great new coalition government.