"The office of the Independent Higher Authority for Elections has set the date of September 15 for the presidential elections," the body's head Nabil Baffoun told the press late Tuesday after consultations with political parties.

Originally scheduled for November, the vote was brought forward following Essebsi's death on July 25.

Potential nominees must submit their candidacy between August 2 and August 9.

The campaigns are scheduled to run from September 2 to September 13, with the results announced two days after the polls.

A date for the second round of presidential elections has not yet been decided, but Baffoun said it would be held no later than November 3.

The announcement came just hours after the body met with representatives of political parties and civil society, some of whom demanded it postpone the first round of elections to run with parliamentary polls set for October 6.