Oct 07,V7N- Supporters of Tunisian President Kais Saied celebrated in the capital on Sunday night after an exit poll indicated he won the presidential election, defeating two rivals, one of whom is currently imprisoned.

Saied faced Zouhair Maghzaoui, his former ally turned critic, and Ayachi Zammel, who was jailed last month. Voter turnout was reported at 27.7%, significantly lower than the turnout in the 2019 presidential runoff.While official results are expected later, the exit poll by Sigma showed Saied leading with 89.2% of the votes.

In his first remarks following the poll, Saied stated, "This is a continuation of the revolution. We will build and will cleanse the country of the corrupt, traitors, and conspirators." However, both Zammel and Maghzaoui's campaigns disputed the exit poll results, claiming the actual outcomes would differ.Celebrations erupted on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis, where supporters waved pictures of Saied and the national flag, chanting slogans about development and progress.

One supporter expressed pride in Saied's service to the state, emphasizing his commitment to the people.Tunisia has been viewed as a relative success story of the 2011 Arab Spring, having established a competitive, albeit flawed, democracy after years of autocratic rule.

However, rights groups argue that Saied, who has been in power since 2019, has rolled back many democratic gains and eliminated institutional checks on his authority. Saied has dismissed criticism, asserting he is combating a corrupt elite and will not become a dictator. Political tensions have escalated recently, particularly after the electoral commission, appointed by Saied, disqualified three prominent candidates. This move, along with the approval of a law that stripped the administrative court of its authority over election disputes, has raised concerns about the independence of Tunisia's judicial system.

Public disillusionment has grown due to poor economic performance and corruption, leading to lower participation in elections compared to the years immediately following the 2011 revolution.

Saied, who consolidated power in 2021 by dissolving parliament and rewriting the constitution, has faced accusations of staging a coup. Despite rising tourism revenues and financial support from European nations, Tunisia continues to grapple with economic challenges, including shortages of subsidized goods and utility outages.

END/WD/RH/