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Tunisia election: Essebsi claims historic victory | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Tunisia's Beji Caid Essebsi has claimed victory in the country's first free presidential election, with exit polls suggesting he won 55.5% of the vote. | |
Supporters of the 88-year-old celebrated in the capital Tunis. | |
Campaigners for his rival, caretaker President Moncef Marzouki, say the results are too close to call. | |
Critics say his success marks the return of a discredited establishment but Mr Essebsi says he is a technocrat who will bring stability. | |
Tunisia was the first country to depose its leader in the Arab Spring and inspired other uprisings in the region. | Tunisia was the first country to depose its leader in the Arab Spring and inspired other uprisings in the region. |
Official results are still to be announced from the run-off election but one exit poll gave Mr Essebsi 55.5%, with several others showing similar figures. | |
Tunisia boosted security for the elections and closed border posts with Libya, which has been plagued by unrest. | |
A group of at least three attackers targeted a polling station near the city of Kairouan on Sunday morning. Security forces say they killed one attacker and arrested three. | |
Coastal candidate | |
Mr Essebsi appeared on local television after polls closed on Sunday, saying, "I dedicate my victory to the martyrs of Tunisia." | |
"I thank Marzouki, and now we should work together without excluding anyone," he added. | "I thank Marzouki, and now we should work together without excluding anyone," he added. |
Supporters danced and let off fireworks outside the headquarters of Mr Essebsi's secular-leaning Nidaa Tounes party. | |
Mr Essebsi held office under both deposed President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali and Tunisia's first post-independence leader, Habib Bourguiba. | |
He won the first round of voting last month with 39% of the vote. | |
He is popular in the wealthy, coastal regions, and based his appeal to voters on stability and experience. | He is popular in the wealthy, coastal regions, and based his appeal to voters on stability and experience. |
'Unfounded' claim | |
A spokesman for Mr Marzouki said the victory claim was "without foundation". | |
Mr Marzouki is a 67-year-old human rights activists forced into exile by the Ben Ali government. | |
He has been interim president since 2011 and is more popular in the conservative, poorer south. | He has been interim president since 2011 and is more popular in the conservative, poorer south. |
After casting his ballot, Mr Marzouki said Tunisians "should be proud" of themselves "because the interim period has come to a peaceful end". | After casting his ballot, Mr Marzouki said Tunisians "should be proud" of themselves "because the interim period has come to a peaceful end". |
Mr Marzouki was thought likely to attract support from the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, which has played a key role in Tunisian politics since the Arab Spring but did not field a candidate. | Mr Marzouki was thought likely to attract support from the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, which has played a key role in Tunisian politics since the Arab Spring but did not field a candidate. |
Whoever wins faces restricted powers under a constitution passed earlier this year. | Whoever wins faces restricted powers under a constitution passed earlier this year. |
The president will be commander-in-chief of the armed forces but can appoint or sack senior officers only in consultation with the prime minister. | The president will be commander-in-chief of the armed forces but can appoint or sack senior officers only in consultation with the prime minister. |
The president will also set foreign policy in consultation with the prime minister, represent the state and ratify treaties. | The president will also set foreign policy in consultation with the prime minister, represent the state and ratify treaties. |