Openly gay candidate in Tunisia’s presidential race first time for Arab world

An openly gay lawyer has announced he would stand in Tunisia's presidential elections, a first for the Arab world.

Mounir Baatour‘s candidacy marks «a first which will without doubt be a benchmark in history», his Liberal Party said.

Mr Baatour, the party’s chief and a lawyer at the Court of Cassation, presents himself as a defender of LGBTIQ rights.

But ahead of his announcement, a petition signed by 18 groups who campaign for those rights warned his candidacy would represent a «danger» for their communities.