By RFIPosted on 14-10-2019Modified on 14-10-2019 at 04:51

Kaïs Saïed won the presidential election against Nabil Karoui according to figures not final, 72% against 28%. Outside the system, outside the party, the 61-year-old jurist becomes the second president of the country elected democratically by universal suffrage. His oath is scheduled for October 30th.

With 72% of the votes according to figures not final, it is a score without call that brings Kaïs Saïed to Carthage. President, he keeps his hand on diplomacy and defense for which he should submit names of ministers.

Carried by the youth he wants to make a new democratic force, Kaïs Saïd pleaded for a return of power to the people. Its meteoric rise confirms the rejection of the system and the ruling class since 2011. The voters came to support Act 2 of the revolution by using the ballot box, 8 years after the revolution in the street.

Remodel the political landscape

He intends to give, through local assemblies, reverse governance that would make the ground a democratic place of force proposals, to the detriment of Parliament. To do this, it should amend the Constitution with the support of a part of Parliament.

Having become the new face of a Tunisia in the midst of a democratic transition, this Arab Arab nationalist intends to reshape the political landscape by focusing on an unprecedented participative democracy. Novice in politics, he is now the image of Tunisia abroad.

An atypical politician

Without party, without experience of power Kaïs Saïed is an atypical politician. A specialist in constitutional law, he became known to the general public by commenting on the first steps of Tunisian democracy, on television sets.

Considered upright and upright, he lives in a middle class neighborhood and is nicknamed Robocop because of his jerky diction and impassive face. His students describe him as an austere man, but always available and attentive.

A curator without a program

He says it himself, he has no agenda, but advocates a radical decentralization of power and promised to strengthen the social role of the state. Favorable to the death penalty, opposed to gender equality in inheritance, these conservative positions have earned him to be accused of fundamentalism.

But his supporters point out that there is no religious reference in his speeches. He also wanted reassuring, shortly after the first round, indicating that he would not backtrack on gains in freedom and women's rights.

I am happy for our democracy. We had the right to vote, we had the right to choose without fear and so I am very happy for my country.

[Reportage] Scenes of jubilation on Habib Bourguiba avenue in Tunis

14-10-2019 - By Bineta Diagne

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