During the parliamentary elections of 2019, Sélim Ben Hassen decided to run as a candidate in the Tunis 1 constituency, which consisted of the poorer areas of the capital city, against the majority of political party leaders and against the Islamic Chief, the leading political figure in the country. Sélim Ben Hassen was supported by many artists and actors and the opinion polls put him in the lead. But on 6 October 2019 at 8.00pm when the results were declared, he was ranked towards the bottom of the list. The Islamic leader was proclaimed as the winner of the elections. In a climate marked by widespread suspicions of fraud, civil society and observers condemned the injustice, but the authorities confirmed the results.

Sélim Ben Hassen left Tunisia shortly afterwards.