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Tunisia election: Nabil Karoui and Kais Saied vie for presidency | Tunisia election: Nabil Karoui and Kais Saied vie for presidency |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Tunisians are voting to choose a new president, in a decisive final-round vote between two political newcomers: a flamboyant media mogul and a conservative law professor. | Tunisians are voting to choose a new president, in a decisive final-round vote between two political newcomers: a flamboyant media mogul and a conservative law professor. |
Tycoon Nabil Karoui and retired academic Kais Saied swept aside a host of establishment candidates in the first round of voting last month. | Tycoon Nabil Karoui and retired academic Kais Saied swept aside a host of establishment candidates in the first round of voting last month. |
Mr Karoui, 56, has campaigned from prison after being arrested on charges of money laundering and tax fraud. | Mr Karoui, 56, has campaigned from prison after being arrested on charges of money laundering and tax fraud. |
He denies the charges. | He denies the charges. |
Voter turnout was at 17.8% by midday on Sunday, up from 12% at the same time in the first round, the election commission said. | |
Polls are set to close at 18:00 (17:00 GMT), and official results are expected on Tuesday. | |
Najwa Salmi, 21, cast her vote at a polling station in northern Tunis, and said she was hoping for "a president who respects his powers". | |
"Today I vote to support a candidate who will be president of all Tunisians and be fair," she told Reuters, without saying who she meant. | |
Mr Karoui, who was freed by a court order just four days ago, came second in the first round of voting, with 15.6% of the vote to Mr Saied's 18.4%. | |
Tunisia's electoral commission has said that if Mr Karoui loses the run-off he could appeal the result, as he has not been allowed a fair campaign. | |
What are the two candidates offering? | What are the two candidates offering? |
A 61-year-old law professor nicknamed "the robot", Mr Saied has run a shrewd and hard campaign, with almost no advertising, on a message of integrity and anti-corruption targeted at young Tunisian voters. | A 61-year-old law professor nicknamed "the robot", Mr Saied has run a shrewd and hard campaign, with almost no advertising, on a message of integrity and anti-corruption targeted at young Tunisian voters. |
In the week before the polls, he announced that he would not campaign while his rival was in prison. | In the week before the polls, he announced that he would not campaign while his rival was in prison. |
He has promised electoral reforms, including changes to local elections for regional representatives. | He has promised electoral reforms, including changes to local elections for regional representatives. |
Critics have attacked his conservative social views, however. | Critics have attacked his conservative social views, however. |
In an interview with a local newspaper, he accused foreign powers of encouraging homosexuality in the country. | In an interview with a local newspaper, he accused foreign powers of encouraging homosexuality in the country. |
He is in favour of restoring the death penalty, suspended since 1994 in Tunisia, and has said that if he wins the presidency, his wife will not be the country's first lady. | |
As for Mr Karoui, he is dubbed Nabil "Makrouna" (pasta) for his charity's distribution of money and bags of the staple food. | As for Mr Karoui, he is dubbed Nabil "Makrouna" (pasta) for his charity's distribution of money and bags of the staple food. |
Supporters view him as a self-made businessman, and praise his philanthropy in a country facing rising living costs and youth unemployment. | |
He founded the charity to fight poverty - a central theme of his campaign. | He founded the charity to fight poverty - a central theme of his campaign. |
Opponents have accused Mr Karoui of using his popular TV station, Nessma, to further his political ambitions. | |
He was arrested in August on charges of tax evasion and money-laundering shortly before the campaign opened. | He was arrested in August on charges of tax evasion and money-laundering shortly before the campaign opened. |
The charges have not been dropped, despite his release from prison. | The charges have not been dropped, despite his release from prison. |
His supporters say powerful forces in Tunisia have conspired to scuttle his candidacy, but authorities say his arrest was based on a three-year-old investigation. | |
What is the significance of the poll? | What is the significance of the poll? |
The election was brought forward after the death in July of Tunisia's first democratically elected president, Beji Caid Essebsi. | The election was brought forward after the death in July of Tunisia's first democratically elected president, Beji Caid Essebsi. |
He took office in 2014, three years after a popular uprising that led to the overthrow of long-serving ruler Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, and sparked the Arab Spring. | He took office in 2014, three years after a popular uprising that led to the overthrow of long-serving ruler Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, and sparked the Arab Spring. |
Correspondents says that while the Arab Spring gave Tunisia democracy eight years ago, many believe it brought little else. | Correspondents says that while the Arab Spring gave Tunisia democracy eight years ago, many believe it brought little else. |
And Djordje Todorovic, a foreign observer at the poll, said he was concerned that Tunisia "probably won't have a strong or stable government after this election". | And Djordje Todorovic, a foreign observer at the poll, said he was concerned that Tunisia "probably won't have a strong or stable government after this election". |
You might also be interested in: | You might also be interested in: |