TUNIS: Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali won plaudits from his peers Monday after being re-elected with 89.6 percent of the vote for a fifth term after two decades in power.
The results from all of the north African country’s 26 constituencies, released by the interior ministry, showed Ben Ali’s score ranging from 84.1 to 93.8 percent of the vote. He did even better among overseas voters who gave him a huge 94.85 percent.
Though the margin of victory is remarkable, the crushing nature of the triumph is commonplace for Ben Ali. It is the first time since he took power in 1987 that his share of the overall vote has fallen below 90 percent.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy telephoned Ben Ali to congratulate him on his victory, Tunisian state news agency TAP reported.
“The French president expressed his satisfaction at the excellent relations between France and Tunisia and his country’s willingness to raise the two countries’ partnership to a new level, the agency said.
Foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said Tunisia could rely on French support as it undertakes social, economic and political reform.
Congratulations for Ben Ali also came in from other north African leaders including Moamer Qaddafi of Libya, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, TAP said.
The Moroccan king sent Ben Ali a message saying the election result showed the high regard Tunisia’s people had for their leader.
“I am sure we will continue to work together to strengthen and extend the bonds of cooperation and solidarity between our two countries, for the benefit of our peoples, the message read.
Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, the founder of the Progressive Democratic Party, who was one of two candidates banned for “non-conformity with the law , said the results showed nothing had changed.
“We have the same political landscape and the same order, he said.
The fact that Ben Ali’s share of the vote slipped below 90 percent showed the regime was starting to listen to public opinion and try to clean up its image, he said.
“But we cannot achieve anything alone, and we will reach out to other democrats to create a democratic transition in 2014 (when the next election is due). In my opinion, it is essential, Nejib Chebbi said.
Ben Ali’s rivals trailed far behind him, with two candidates close to the government, Mohamed Bouchiha and Ahmed Inoubli, winning around five and 3.8 percent respectively.
Bouchiba said he was “generally satisfied and that his party would contribute to pluralism.
The only real opposition candidate, Ahmed Brahim, came in last with 1.57 percent of the vote.
Brahim, who complained of censorship and other restrictions during his campaign, said the election showed the need for reform.
“The campaign showed that Tunisia needs real democratic change to create a more open, more pluralist Tunisia, he said.
“I’m happy to have led a campaign in difficult circumstances. I don’t regret taking up this struggle…. We are looking ahead to build a united democratic movement, he said.
In the parliamentary election, Ben Ali’s Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) party won 161 of the 214 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, with the remaining 53 to be divided proportionally between six of the eight competing parties.
Ben Ali, 73, faces a tough economic climate in spite of prudent financial management.
He has vowed to elevate Tunisia to the rank of developed countries, and committed himself during his next mandate to reducing an unemployment rate of 14 percent. -AFP
