Tunisian presidential candidates face tough race against Ben Ali
2009-10-15
Just one week into Tunisia's presidential campaigns, voters are dealing with party withdrawals, allegations of suppression, problems differentiating between platforms and the widespread belief that the winner has already been decided.
Jamel Arfaoui contributed to this report for Magharebia from Tunis – 15/10/09
 [FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images] Ahmed Brahim, the presidential candidate of the Ettajdid Movement, greets Tunisian supporters in the run-up to the Ocotber 25th election. |
Tunisian presidential candidates began campaigning this week, but with little time to win over voters before the October 25th national poll, challengers to incumbent Zine El Abidine Ben Ali face an uphill battle.
Many voters and analysts concede that the challengers have little chance of beating the president.
And both Popular Unity Party (PUP) candidate Mohamed Bouchiha and Unionist Democratic Union (UDU) candidate Ahmed Innoubli are "close to the ruling elite", Reuters stated on Wednesday (October 15th).
"I don't believe there are real contenders against Ben Ali. It's a battle [whose] result has already been resolved," said one potential voter, Samia Wartani. "The only suspense about it is learning who's going to be the runner-up…after President Ben Ali."
Another problem for Ben Ali's rivals is that their campaign pledges are often hard to tell apart.
Bouchiha vows to create a democratic system with more balance between the legislative and executive branches. He also argues for further empowering regional and municipal bodies, more transparent elections and an independent judiciary.
For his part, Innoubli wants to reform the electoral code, implement a system of proportional representation and expand the role and powers of Parliament.
A third challenger, the Ettajdid Movement's Ahmed Brahim, pledges to ensure full transparency in economic management, and would implement a tax reform to benefit workers and middle-income people. He has also vowed to give top priority to tackling unemployment, reforming education and "reinstating freedom" throughout Tunisia.
Many political observers consider Ibrahim to be the strongest opposition contender. He has even won the endorsement of former Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties (FDTL) candidate Mostapha Ben Jaafar, who was disqualified from running.
In his campaign manifesto, Brahim called for "a break from authoritarianism, nepotism, and inequalities in the division of wealth". Last weekend, however, Interior Ministry agents seized Ettajdid Party newpaper Attariq Aljadid. Under the electoral code and the Press Law, authorities confiscated the issue because it included material that had failed to comply with legal submission procedures.
Ibrahim on Wednesday told Reuters that his campaign volunteers were continuing to encounter difficulties displaying leaflets and posters.
"It makes no sense to stop our party [from] doing anything," Brahim was quoted as saying. "Our election statement is being withheld without any clear legal justification."
In another development this week, the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) said it would boycott the elections because of what it claimed was "manipulation of the voting process" by the regime even before it had begun.
Still, Tunisian officials assert that the contest remains wide open ahead of the October 25th poll.
"The environment is ripe for opposition parties to grow in the country. It is not that the ruling party will abdicate political space for the opposition. Rather, they will have to gain it by winning the hearts and minds of people," Tunisian Administrative Development Minister Zuhair Al Mudhaffar told Gulf News on Wednesday.
"Tunisia's opposition parties are still young and need to convince masses to vote for them," the minister added.
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, meanwhile, is campaigning across Tunisia. He is offering a 24-point platform including pledges to boost local democracy, expand partnerships between the state and civil society organisations and improve working conditions for all Tunisians.
Even though most Tunisians expect that Ben Ali will easily defeat his challengers to secure a fifth term, some are hopeful that democratic change may still occur in Tunisia.
"The speech of Ben Ali and his electoral platform totally conform to the slogan of the presidential campaign 'Together to raise challenges'," said Al Sabah political analyst Sofiane Ben Rajab. "It ranges from realism in estimating the difficulties to ambition for facing challenges and realising achievements."
While many Tunisian voters voice doubt about whether the incumbent faces any viable threat to re-election, similarities between the platforms may bode well for future policy.
"The most important thing is that all of them agreed on the need to address the issue of unemployment among young people," student Seif Edine Lamloum told Magharebia.
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Anonymous Posted 2009-10-15
Poor Tunisia! I do not know what we should lament more, the dictatorship that is crushing the people and what remains of their human dignity like mosquitoes, the clowns who pose in front of the camera with smiles that split their face in half instead of blushing in shame for having lent themselves to a shameful masquerade, the sole goal of which is to mislead international public opinions, or the poor correspondent who quoted the “political scientist” from Al Sabah, forgetting to mention that the latter is a tabloid pretending to be a newspaper and belonging to the step-son of Ben Ali. I recently read that the Nobel Prize for chemistry went to the Israeli Ada Yonath. On a military radio interview in his country, she demanded the release of all Palestinian prisoners Israel is detaining. Moreover, she accused Israel of manufacturing terrorists by pushing the Palestinians to the point of exasperation. Light years separate this 70-year-old lady from the Tunisia braggarts who grovel on their bellies to sing praises to Ben Ali should some average joe calling himself a journalist put a microphone in their faces. As for the big winner of the presidential election, I will remind him of this verse from Corneille: “In winning without risk, one triumphs without glory.”
ELMABROUK GARCI Posted 2009-10-16
Of course chances of candidates to win are absolutely low. People know from their experience that the person who is capable of leading Tunisia in current conditions, is logically and reasonably Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali and his party the Democratic Rally. People know the faithfulness and perseverance of these people. We hope that other candidates will withdraw and endorse Ben Ali to preserve their dignity because we are sure their ballot boxes will return empty. So there is no need for embarrassment. We warn the opposition against causing any polemics after sorting out the votes, raising ready-made claims of falsification, hindering votes and other accusations that are always resorted to by the unsuccessful in elections in Third World countries. For God's sake, we advise them to withdraw early, save time, efforts and join the civilized platform of Ben Ali for Tunisia of tomorrow. Salam.
Mehdi Posted 2009-10-16
Why do they still hold elections in Tunisia? Ben Ali has no opposition! This is a dictatorship, pure and simple, and everybody knows it!!!
rakez mahrez Posted 2009-10-16
To start with, I would like to remind all of those who are writing about Tunisia’s elections that only we Tunisians living in this country have the right to vote because it would be both unjust and absurd to deny what President Ben Ali has done for the country since the change of power in 1987. Today’s Tunisia is no longer the Tunisia of the 1980s or 1990s or even of 2000. This little country, thanks to its president, its rescuer, took his rightful place. Its achievements have been innumerable across the border and across all social classes, without exception. Tunisia has become the country of stability, tolerance, modernity and labour par excellence. Under the presidency of Ben Ali, we have achieved marvels, and we will continue to do so, since we have become masters of our destiny and our future with Ben Ali. We live in complete security and peace. We have our own say. Our institution function smoothly. The country is a dream, for certain. The changes of the Tunisia of Ben Ali, who has devoted himself entirely with fervour, audacity and courage, to its development, are remarkable and recognised by the entire world. As such, Tunisia will never give up its son, who gave his everything for it to become what it is today. We are behind Ben Ali and we will support him strongly so that he can continue his work. He will be elected by our good will, because it is the people – al of the people – who want this and who are behind him, because he is the sole man able to realise our aspiration and able to face the challenges.
Nate Posted 2009-10-16
To ELMABROUK GARCI: "the person who is capable of leading Tunisia in current conditions, is logically and reasonably Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali and his party the Democratic Rally." You seem to think that the rest of the tunisian population is stupid and uneducated, and unqualified to rule Tunisia. There is no one more unqualiffied, unelected, and undeserving than the naive thug and under-estimating of his people than Ben Ali the dictator. "We hope that other candidates will withdraw and endorse Ben Ali to preserve their dignity because we are sure their ballot boxes will return empty." Your hope of behalf of the RCD has already been implemented and assured. The boxes will come back empty as a result of your thieving hands inside of them. "We warn the opposition against causing any polemics after sorting out the votes, raising ready-made claims of falsification, hindering votes and other accusations that are always resorted to by the unsuccessful in elections in Third World countries." You should warn your self, and others in your rank, that the only future of a dictator and his regime is the end. So you agree that Tunisia is still a third world country because of Ben Ali's backward and draconian dictatorship, which is in contrast to the official position of the regime that "Tunisia has pulled out of the 3rd, thanks to Ben Ali's policies..." The only hope for Tunisia is for this dictator Ben Ali to give him self dignity, and withdrawal from this election, and let "real" candidates run.
عبد المالك Posted 2009-10-17
They are giving importance to the falsification farce to make people believe these are genuine elections.
manal Posted 2009-10-17
It is a shame to see Tunisia’s puppets every evening on channel 7. Honestly, how could they accept selling their souls? They have no political platform, no speeches. Where did this worthless opposition come from? They are ridiculous, just like Zine and his gang of criminals, who have dilapidated Tunisia. Moreover, he calls himself Maghreb, but he is sectarian and racist against the Moroccans and Algerians. How can our brothers live in Tunisia? On the other hand, the French and the Italians and all the Europeans are not bothers. They do what they want in Tunisia, while the police and customs rob the citizens of the Maghreb of their cell phones and money in impunity. This is illegal is willingly imposed on them by Tunisia’s police, customs and bureaucratic administration. That is what “fraternity” means to Tunisia’s president. “Welcome! We are brothers and sisters!” – this is demagoguery pure and simple. My Tunisian, Moroccan, Algerian, Libyan and Mauritanian brothers and sisters, do not be fooled by the leaders. They do the dirty work of the Europeans – the French in particular – who are block the borders being opened and the union of the peoples and reinforce drugs, suicide, unemployment, illegal immigration, brain drain, elite drain. All of these pleases France, as it renews its demographics, rejuvenates its companies with lower payrolls, turns the machine of war, police, courts and prisons, all of which are 85% Maghreb. It does all this on the backs of the Maghreb people with the blessing of our corrupt, worthless leaders. Morality!?! 200 bagillion years would not be enough to have that? Go back home and retire there! The Tunisian people are mature! They are not children, who need to be led around by their mother’s hand.
Maaroufi mouldi Posted 2009-10-17
TO THE ANONYMOUS blageur ,I WILL NOT FORGET TO PUT YOUR NAME AS COMPETITOR WHEN BREAKING WIND BECOMES AN OLYMPIC COMPETITION AS I AM VERY SURE YOU WILL BE THE 100% GOLD MEDAL WINNER AND WITHOUT RIVAL ,OR EVEN BETTER I AM TO SUGGEST THAT YOU GET THE POSITION OF KING WITHOUT A KINGDON LIKE IN THE FAIRY TALE OF THE FOX AND THE LION .YOU CAN ASK AROUND TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LION IN THE TALE AND I AM SURE YOU WILL BE PLEASED .PLEASE KEEP ON ATTACKING THE ARABS AND I WILL HAVE MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU BY THE WAY DID YOU GET YOUR NOMINATION OR NOT?
othmanos Posted 2009-10-17
I would like to have a bit of a change in the Tunisian Republic, even if Mr Ibrahim or the others cannot exceed Ben Ali.
houssem Posted 2009-10-18
I never knew anything about politics. I want to say that we all in Sousse support our president Ben Ali because most of us live better than many countries. I hope unemployment will be eliminated in Tunisia. Young people of Sousse are with you best president. I am a loyal citizen who loves his country.
Anonymous Posted 2009-10-18
For months, the Tunisian government newspaper “La Presse” has not stopped in publishing the names of all the organisations for disabled Tunisians that support Ben Ali’s candidature for the presidency. One of the latest organisations to be cited was the “Sports Organisation for the Mentally Disabled of Tunisia” (“l'Association Sportive des Handicapés Mentaux de Tunisie”). But Ben Ali’s popularity is not limited to mentally challenged Tunisians; with pride, "La Presse" published on 17 October 2009, “the leader Kadhafi, the leader of the Great Revolution of 1 September, the leader of the African Union, the current president of the Arab Maghreb Union, expressed his support and the support of the Libyan people for President Ben Ali in the 2009 elections being held in Tunisia.” Duly noted. But, I wonder if the great Libyan leader does not also belong to the group of mentally disabled, for all his involvement in something that does not concern him. Tunisia’s elections – even if they are nothing but a masquerade – are only intended to be a masquerade for the Tunisian people. Or, is it that the Tunisian regime is lacking mentally disabled people domestically and felt obliged to take recourse to Maghreb solidarity within the United Arab Maghreb in order to reinforce Ben Ali’s chances? If this is the case, the regime could also call for international support. I can easily imagine a declaration of this sort: “Mentally Disabled People of All Countries - Support the candidate Ben Ali.” This reminds me of Marx’s and Engel’s “Communist Manifesto”, which ultimately resulted in a fiasco.
Anonymous Posted 2009-10-19
congratulation tunisia became kingdom with his majestueuse family hope they will be happy................
Anonymous Posted 2009-10-19
Everybody will notice somewhere above an illustration of how people lose their dignity in a dictatorship. But there are more examples which are worse than that.
anonyme Posted 2009-10-19
First, what right does Miss Leila Ben Ali have to jump off the Carthage boat in order to publicise the organisation Besma, and all the more so for her spouse’s election campaign? This is public money; it is financed by all Tunisians across the board. Second, in a democracy, you need to let the other candidates express themselves freely. Given that websites like YouTube and DailyMotion are prohibited in Tunisia, where is the freedom of expression and the freedom of press?
عادل Posted 2009-10-20
In reality I can only ask some malicious and contrary people what do they criticise about the policy of Ben Ali? What do you want, more than what he has offered to Tunisia and still offering? Don't you thank God for the current situation of Tunisia since the beginning of change? Has Tunisia spared any effort or deprived its sons of anything on any day? Are the Tunisians ignorant and unable to distinguish between candidates? Are the platforms of potential candidates new? Ben Ali hasn't left any field of the political, economic and social sectors without conducting hard and wise struggle. He is always busy with all social classes without exclusion or marginalization. Even if there are some shortcomings, they are certainly present in every country in this world. Anyone who denies this is being very, very absurd. I am convinced, as a Tunisian, that no other candidate, even if he wins, and this is not probable, will do better than what Ben Ali did, because he carries a whole nation in his heart.
عادل القادري Posted 30 days ago
The human being becomes really odd when he doesn’t use his mind, when he is filled by ignorance, egoism and hatred which blinds vision. When he sees mistakes of others, he sees himself as a knight overcoming these mistakes. But there is another facet of reality [in] the reality of political, economic, social life, and leading all such components in one container certainly requires a difficult equation. Therefore, it requires a reform which may not please those who have sick and selfish souls. The Tunisian society rejects such category. The wise and sensible is aware of national priorities which are called by some burdens. It is a great honour and pride that we support the person who serves Tunisia faithfully. We are dignified to hold on our shoulders the message of building Tunisia in commemoration of the past, in appreciation of the present and in anticipation of a better future for us and for coming generations. We respect the covenant with Ben Ali to continue facing challenges and upgrade Tunisia towards the aspirations of its people. Ben Ali wouldn’t elect himself on behalf of members of the people who have the first and last word in deciding to support a candidate or another. I am absolutely sure that the sweeping majority will be with Ben Ali as they are convinced he is the most suitable and the guarantor for leading the cart with its components in the best way.
عادل القادري Posted 24 days ago
The Tunisian people give their last word and choose with total democracy, freedom and transparency President Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali. Delegations of foreign countries which attended the presidential and legislative elections bore witness to the fairness of the electoral process. As we congratulate President Ben Ali for his sweeping victory in these elections, we renew our trust and covenant with him, with total responsibility for meeting challenges and to achieve what he has planned for Tunisia during the next five years - which will, God willing, be full of ground-breaking achievements, especially because Ben Ali meets his promises.
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