Holding Free Presidential Elections in Tunisia

The people of Tunisia participated in the second round of the presidential elections in this North African country on Sunday, December 30. This is the first time since Tunisia's independence from France in 1956 that the people of Tunisia are electing their president in a free election. International news agencies, including AFP, have reported that the competition is between Moncef Marzouki, the current president who is allied with the moderate Islamist party Ennahda, and Beji Caid Essebsi, the leader of the anti-Islamic Nidaa Tounes party. In the first round of elections held on November 23, Mr. Essebsi, 88 years old, received 39% of the votes, while Mr. Marzouki, 69 years old, received 33%. However, Reuters reported that Mr. Essebsi's party is seeking to reach an agreement with the Ennahda party to overcome a crisis that arose following the assassination of two secular leaders last year. According to this agreement, whichever of the two candidates wins the election, the future government must confront the threat posed by Islamist militants. Thousands of soldiers and police officers are responsible for ensuring the security of the elections. The Tunisian Ministry of Defense announced that a few hours before the voting began, security forces protecting the ballots engaged with attackers, killing one of them and arresting three others. Approximately 5.3 million Tunisians are eligible to participate in the elections. Tunisia was the first country to initiate revolutions in multiple countries known as the Arab Spring by ousting its 23-year president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. Following democratic parliamentary elections and a peaceful transfer of power between Islamist and secular parties, the country has become a model of democracy and pluralism among Islamic countries.