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Tunisia election: Kais Saied to become president | |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Retired academic Kais Saied is set to become Tunisia's next president after a landslide victory in Sunday's vote. | |
The electoral commission announced that the former law professor, 61, secured 73% of votes in the run-off election. | |
He was up against media mogul Nabil Karoui, 56, who had campaigned from prison after being arrested on charges of money laundering and tax fraud. | |
Exit polls suggested that Mr Saied benefited from huge support among young voters. | |
Shortly after the exit polls were released, the president-elect appeared in front of jubilant supporters in Tunis and thanked "young people for turning a new page" in Tunisia's history. | |
"We will try to build a new Tunisia. Young people led this campaign, and I am responsible for them," he said, flanked by his family. | "We will try to build a new Tunisia. Young people led this campaign, and I am responsible for them," he said, flanked by his family. |
Some were impressed by Mr Saied's reputation of not being corruptible, Reuters news agency reports. | |
"Saied is clean and represents us. We know very well that he does not have a magic wand," one student was quoted as saying. | |
The electoral commission said 55% of those registered to vote cast their ballots. | |
Mr Karoui, who denies the charges against him, appeared to concede defeat after sending a congratulatory message to his electoral rival. | |
But before Sunday's vote he complained that it had not been a fair campaign, because he was freed by a court order just four days prior to the poll. | |
In the first round of voting, Mr Karoui took 15.6% of the vote to Mr Saied's 18.4%. | |
Who is Kais Saied? | Who is Kais Saied? |
Nicknamed "the robot" for his stern manner, Mr Saied ran a shrewd campaign, with almost no advertising, on a message of integrity and anti-corruption targeted at young Tunisian voters. | Nicknamed "the robot" for his stern manner, Mr Saied ran a shrewd campaign, with almost no advertising, on a message of integrity and anti-corruption targeted at young Tunisian voters. |
Mr Saied was on the committee of experts that helped parliament draft Tunisia's post-Arab Spring constitution, adopted in 2014. He occasionally appeared on television as a political commentator. | Mr Saied was on the committee of experts that helped parliament draft Tunisia's post-Arab Spring constitution, adopted in 2014. He occasionally appeared on television as a political commentator. |
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. He also opposes equal inheritance for men and women. | |
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 which led to the overthrow of long-serving ruler Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the Arab Spring. | |
Correspondents say that while the Arab Spring gave Tunisia democracy eight years ago, it has not delivered the economic benefits they had hoped for. |