Iran Press/ Africa: A low-profile, conservative law professor has beaten a charismatic media magnate released from prison last week in Tunisia’s presidential election runoff, according to exit polls.
In a contest that reflected Tunisia’s shifting post-revolution political landscape, Kais Saied scooped more than 70% of the vote, according to two exit polls, more than 40 points ahead of Nabil Karoui. The official results are expected later on Monday, the Guardian reported.
Saied thanked the country’s young people “for turning a new page” and vowed to try to build “a new Tunisia”. About 90% of 18- to 25-year-olds voted for Saied, according to estimates by the Sigma polling institute, compared with 49.2% of voters over 60.
Thousands of people took to the streets of the capital Tunis to celebrate Saied’s victory, honking horns and singing the national anthem. “Kais Saied, the voice of the people,” a gathered crowd chanted.
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.
Normalization of ties with Israel constitutes treason
Speaking during a pre-election debate with his main rival Karoui on Saturday, Kais said Tunisia was in a state of war with Israel, and that anybody who normalized relations with the Tel Aviv regime had to be tried for treason.
Karoui, commenting on the same topic, said he believed that ties with Tel Aviv were illegal.
Tunisia, he said, should support Palestinians in whatever position they take regarding the Israeli regime.
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