By RFIPubliée le 16-09-2019Modified the 16-09-2019 at 16:29

The results of the first round of Tunisian presidential elections this Sunday are only partial, but they are already a very clear message sent to the ruling political class.

On Monday, at midday, the election monitoring body released the results of this first round after 39% of the ballots counted - the final results will fall no later than Tuesday. And the numbers are very close to the previous update. The conservative academic without a political party Kais Saied is in the lead with 18.9% of the vote. Followed by the businessman Nabil Karoui (15%) and the candidate supported by Ennahdha, Abdelfattah Mourou (13.1%).

This first round was marked by an unprecedented offer of candidates - more than twenty - and choices "anti-system". Representatives of traditional parties, former ministers or party supporters were swept aside, with the exception of the candidate supported by Ennahdha, the Islamist-inspired party that has always been able to count on a reservoir of disciplined voters.

Participation, very low at 45.2%, is to be put in perspective, because with the increase of the inscriptions on the electoral lists, the number of voters is almost equal (three millions) with the presidential of 2014 which had seen a participation of 63% .

Political reactions

Soon, Youssef Chahed acknowledged his defeat and resumed his post of Prime Minister, without giving instructions to vote. Ditto for Moncef Marzouki, the former president. Moreover, the defeated candidates consult their bases at the moment to know if it is opportune or not to call to vote for one or the other of the suitors.

The man at the head of the poll, Kaïs Saied, has several times commented on his first place, with no particular mark of enthusiasm, evoking the good of Tunisia. Kaïes Saïed is the candidate who was the most discreet during the election campaign where he seduced young people : he hardly made any statement to the media and organized very few meetings. He led this election campaign with his personal means, and traveled the country in his own car.

On the side of Nabil Karoui , the style is different. The party, at his campaign headquarters, lasted a good part of the night despite the absence of the candidate, currently in the cell at Mornaguia.

A long campaign for Karoui

The situation is unprecedented in Tunisia and is not provided for by the electoral code. This legal vacuum is actually managed directly by the investigating judge in charge of the case. Should he be released regardless of the record that weighs on him? Should we provide him with means to communicate despite his detention? Magistrates are currently working on these questions.

Meanwhile, his wife Salwa Smaoui ensures the campaign. She has taken over from her husband since incarceration in August by multiplying meetings across the country. The citizens have discovered a woman who is a fighter, an activist who gives voice to defend the ideas of her husband.

This campaign, Nabil Karoui started it before everyone else. It has been three years since he has traveled the interior of the country, where the state has not invested. And on the spot, he distributes food, meets the popular classes. His charitable actions have forged him the image of a generous man. " It's a human being, unlike the whole political class ," RFI told a widow without income at its closing meeting.

The failure of Ennahdha

On the side of the third party camp, Ennahdha, we prefer to wait for the final results before reacting even if we already relativize this failure. First, because the priority of Ennahdha is not the presidential, but the legislative elections of October 6th.

The disappearance of President Béji Caïd Essebsi, in July, completely upset the electoral calendar, leading to organize a presidential election before these legislative elections. The party could not afford to be out of the running, so Abdel Fattah Mourou was appointed only a few weeks ago.

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