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Tunisia elections: veteran politician Beji Caid Essebsi wins run-off vote Tunisia elections: veteran politician Beji Caid Essebsi wins run-off vote
(about 9 hours later)
A political veteran from the years before the 2011 revolution has been confirmed winner of Tunisia’s first free presidential election since independence from France in 1956. A political veteran from the years before the 2011 revolution has been confirmed as the winner of Tunisia’s first free presidential election since independence from France in 1956.
Beji Caid Essebsi won just over 55% of votes cast in Sunday’s run-off round, defeating former human rights activist and incumbent Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki, the electoral commission said. Beji Caid Essebsi won just over 55% of votes cast in Sunday’s runoff round, defeating the incumbent, the former human rights activist Moncef Marzouki, the electoral commission said.
As in the first round of the election in November, the results showed a geographical split, with the poorer, more socially conservative south preferring Marzouki, while most voters in the populous north favoured Caid Essebsi.As in the first round of the election in November, the results showed a geographical split, with the poorer, more socially conservative south preferring Marzouki, while most voters in the populous north favoured Caid Essebsi.
On Monday footage on state TV channel Wataniya showed rocks strewn across a main road in Hamma, near the southern port town of Gabes, where about 300 Marzouki supporters reportedly protested the night before. On Monday, footage on state TV channel Wataniya showed rocks strewn across a main road in Hamma, near the southern port town of Gabes, where about 300 Marzouki supporters reportedly protested the night before.
On the streets of the capital, Tunis, on Monday, Marzouki supporters were largely resigned to the election result, although some expressed a determination that the new freedoms gained in the 2011 revolution should not be allowed to slide. On the streets of the capital, Tunis, Marzouki supporters were largely resigned to the result, although some expressed a determination that the new freedoms gained in the 2011 revolution should not be allowed to slide.
Between 1965 and 1986, Caid Essebsi was three times a minister under Tunisia’s charismatic president Habib Bourguiba, who invested heavily in education in the newly independent country, but resisted any moves to multiparty democracy.Between 1965 and 1986, Caid Essebsi was three times a minister under Tunisia’s charismatic president Habib Bourguiba, who invested heavily in education in the newly independent country, but resisted any moves to multiparty democracy.
The 88-year-old was persuaded out of retirement following the revolution that overthrew the regime of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. By a consensus agreed on behind closed doors in the weeks following the revolution, he became a transitional prime minister through most of that turbulent year, until the Islamist party Ennahda swept the board in elections to the constituent assembly in October 2011. The 88-year-old was persuaded out of retirement following the revolution that overthrew the regime of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. By a consensus agreed behind closed doors in the weeks following the revolution, he became a transitional prime minister through most of that turbulent year, until the Islamist party Ennahda swept the board in elections to the constituent assembly in October 2011.
In response to the Islamists’ victory, he formed a new party, Nidaa Tounes (Tunisian Call), as a rallying point for Tunisians opposed to Islamists in government. Its opponents believe Nidaa Tounes supporters include many who feel loyalty to Ben Ali’s former ruling party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD).In response to the Islamists’ victory, he formed a new party, Nidaa Tounes (Tunisian Call), as a rallying point for Tunisians opposed to Islamists in government. Its opponents believe Nidaa Tounes supporters include many who feel loyalty to Ben Ali’s former ruling party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD).
Countering these claims, Nidaa Tounes forged an electoral alliance with several new centrist parties. Caid Essebsi has said he is committed to preserving the civil liberties that Tunisians won in the revolution. He was interior minister for four years in the 1960s at a time of harsh repression of dissent, when torture was used against detained leftists.Countering these claims, Nidaa Tounes forged an electoral alliance with several new centrist parties. Caid Essebsi has said he is committed to preserving the civil liberties that Tunisians won in the revolution. He was interior minister for four years in the 1960s at a time of harsh repression of dissent, when torture was used against detained leftists.
In legislative elections held under a new constitution in October, Nidaa Tounes, presenting candidates for the first time, unseated Ennahda to become the largest party in the new parliament, which was elected under the country’s first democratic constitution.In legislative elections held under a new constitution in October, Nidaa Tounes, presenting candidates for the first time, unseated Ennahda to become the largest party in the new parliament, which was elected under the country’s first democratic constitution.
Rising food prices and lack of progress in generating new jobs had undermined the popularity of Ennahda and its two non-religious coalition partners from the 2011 election. For many voters, the two political assassinations of 2013, attributed to jihadist radicals, had given rise to deep misgivings, in a country with little previous experience of political violence.
Throughout 2014, armed groups have continued to inflict casualties among the army and national guard, most recently in an ambush on a rural road in western Tunisia on 5 November, in which five young soldiers being transported in a bus were killed, and the attackers disappeared back into the hillside.
Just over half of its 86 new members of parliament are reported to be former members of the RCD.Just over half of its 86 new members of parliament are reported to be former members of the RCD.
Marzouki, a 69-year-old former human rights activist, has been an interim president for the transitional period since he was voted into the post by the constituent assembly in December 2011. On the campaign trail he warned that to have Nidaa Tounes controlling the presidency as well as the prime minister’s office could jeopardise progress in building democratic institutions.Marzouki, a 69-year-old former human rights activist, has been an interim president for the transitional period since he was voted into the post by the constituent assembly in December 2011. On the campaign trail he warned that to have Nidaa Tounes controlling the presidency as well as the prime minister’s office could jeopardise progress in building democratic institutions.
Ennahda did not present its own candidate for president, although many of its supporters appear to have voted for Marzouki, seen as the best guarantee that a Nidaa Tounes government could not oversee a return to authoritarianism.Ennahda did not present its own candidate for president, although many of its supporters appear to have voted for Marzouki, seen as the best guarantee that a Nidaa Tounes government could not oversee a return to authoritarianism.
The Ennahda party leadership has meanwhile attempted to keep open the possibility of an entente with Nidaa, possibly involving inclusion in a coalition government in the new year. Ennahda’s leader, Rached Ghannouchi, who comes from the Gabes region, appealed for calm as some further clashes were reported there on Monday.The Ennahda party leadership has meanwhile attempted to keep open the possibility of an entente with Nidaa, possibly involving inclusion in a coalition government in the new year. Ennahda’s leader, Rached Ghannouchi, who comes from the Gabes region, appealed for calm as some further clashes were reported there on Monday.
Chafik Sarsar, the lawyer chosen this year to head Tunisia’s new electoral commission, emphasised that electoral observers representing the two candidates had been present in almost all polling stations – in addition to the thousands of observers deployed by bodies including the European Union, the US NDI and IRI, and Tunisian non-governmental organisations.Chafik Sarsar, the lawyer chosen this year to head Tunisia’s new electoral commission, emphasised that electoral observers representing the two candidates had been present in almost all polling stations – in addition to the thousands of observers deployed by bodies including the European Union, the US NDI and IRI, and Tunisian non-governmental organisations.
Both candidates delivered short addresses on national television on Monday evening. Marzouki, who had earlier made a telephone call to congratulate Caid Essebsi on his victory, said that although there had been number of electoral infractions, he did not wish to delay the speedy formation of a new government. “Stability is our priority and we need to have a government that starts working soon,” to tackle the problems still facing the country, he said. He appealed to the public “especially in the south of the country, to respect the results of the ballot box.”
State television reported that in addition to clashes in Gabes and Ben Guerdane in the south, young men aged 18 to 20 threw stones at the police in the Tunis suburb of Kram – a working-class area that was one of the flashpoints of resistance to the security forces during the days before the fall of Ben Ali in January 2011.
In the southern town of Tataouine, protesters unhappy with the election result set fire to the local office of Nidaa Tounes, and also attacked a police station, the official news agency TAP reported.
Essebsi used his television address to thank Marzouki for his efforts as president, urging him to continue to advise on policy. He said the nation should “look to the future” in a spirit of consensus: “Whether in the north or south, we are all children of Tunisia,” he said.