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Tunisia: 2 political outsiders lead in presidential vote

16-9-2019 < RT 16 179 words
 

With more than half the votes counted in a presidential election, Tunisians have rejected established leaders for a little known law professor and a media mogul jailed on suspicion of tax evasion.


Kais Saied and Nabil Karoui appear certain to advance to a runoff vote next month as they are leading 24 other candidates, who included the prime minister, two former prime ministers, a former president and the defense minister. The preliminary results represents a sharp rebuke of elected governments that have struggled to improve living standards or end graft after Tunisia’s 2011 revolution introduced democracy and inspired the “Arab Spring.”


Karoui has for years used his Nessma television station and the charity he founded after his son died to present himself as a champion of the poor, while his critics describe him as an ambitious, unscrupulous, populist, Reuters reports. He denies all claims of wrongdoing against him, including old tax evasion and money laundering charges.


Saied spent so little on his campaign that Tunisians joke it cost no more than a coffee and packet of cigarettes.


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