Tunisian former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s last foreign minister, Kamel Morjane, has announced his intention to stand in the country’s upcoming presidential election.

“The party's national council met yesterday (Friday) and, after examining the situation in the country, insisted that I stand in the election. I accepted,” Morjane, who heads Al-Moubadara (the Initiative) party, said on Saturday, adding, “I consider doing so to be a national responsibility.”

The party also issued a statement saying that the decision had been made due to Morjane’s “experience” and “patriotism,” as well as his “capacity to bring Tunisians together.”

The 66-year-old was the last foreign minister in the regime of Ben Ali, who was ousted from power by a popular revolution on January 14, 2011.

In the aftermath of the revolution, Morjane was a member of the transitional government. However, the politician, along with other ministers, was forced to resign under pressure from the street.

Morjane apologized to Tunisian people for serving under Ben Ali in 2011, but noted that he bore no responsibility for the authoritarian excesses of the former regime.

According to Tunisia's body tasked with organizing this year's parliamentary and presidential elections on October 26 and November 23 respectively, six people have announced their candidacy for president.

The current Tunisian president, Moncef Marzouki, was chosen by the Constituent Assembly elected in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution.

The Western-backed dictator, Ben Ali, fled to Saudi Arabia three years ago, following weeks of bloody protests over corruption, unemployment and high food prices.