Tunisians to vote in historic post-revolution polls

Tunisia, which launched the Arab Spring when its outraged citizens ousted a seemingly entrenched dictator in January, again takes the lead with a historic vote tomorrow for the drafters of a new Constitution.

“It is a historic turning point. Tunisians do not have the right to make mistakes, the world is watching this first test on the road to democracy,” a European diplomat said, amid an election campaign dotted with violent outbursts, some by Islamists.

Ten months ago, Tunisian fruitseller Mohamed Bouazizi from Sidi Bouzid, a neglected town in the west of the country, set himself on fire to protest abuses under the 23-year-old regime of Zine el Abidine Ben Ali.

He died days later, but Mr Bouazizi’s action sparked Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution and region-wide revolts that have toppled leaders in Tunis, Cairo and Tripoli, and still threaten others.

Ben Ali, once backed by the West for his supposed role as a rampart against Islamisation, fled to Saudi Arabia a month into the leaderless uprising by Tunisians driven to the streets by social injustice, poverty and corruption.

Now, after a short transition period marked by protest against the pace of change and sporadic fits of violence, Tunisians will have a chance to take charge of their destiny in the Arab world’s first post-revolution vote.

Despite the high stakes, however, voter interest is low in a complex electoral landscape: Some 7.3 million potential balloters will elect 217 members of an assembly that will write the country’s new founding law, from more than 10,000 candidates.

Voters in the country of about 12 million people are faced with over 1,400 candidates lists: 787 belonging to political parties, 583 to independent candidates and 50 to party coalitions.

Most of the groupings propagate similar slogans of liberty, democracy and social justice. Half the candidates are women.

The new constitution will be the country’s third after those of 1861 and 1959, and will map out a new path by determining the type of government to take over a hitherto staunchly secular state.

The assembly will also choose an interim president who will appoint a Prime Minister and a government for the duration of the constitution drafting process leading up to new national elections.