President Ben Ali
inaugurates electoral campaign, says elections are an opportunity
to promote democracy in Tunis
Tunis, 10 October 2004-- President
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali launched his electoral campaign Sunday
by delivering a major speech in which he outlined his electoral
program.
Addressing cheering crowds in the Tunis suburb of Le Kram, he
said that “it is for tomorrow’s Tunisia and its youth
and future generations that we have drawn up our Electoral Program
2004-2009; our Program for tomorrow’s Tunisia.”
In presenting his electoral platform, President Ben Ali said his
efforts aim at building “a developed Tunisia which we want
to be endowed with a great cohesion and a strong associative fabric,
anchored in modernity, and mastering modern technologies, scientific
innovations, and new and innovative industries.”
He added, “our Program’s orientations and choices
are drawn from the spirit of reform and modernization as well
as from Tunisia’s new
Constitution. Our Program’s principles and constant tenets
are drawn from the principles of the Republic and the values of
rule of law, freedom, security and justice.”
The Tunisian president also said “the presidential and legislative
elections, scheduled for October 24, constitute an excellent opportunity
for political parties to make known their electoral programs as
well as their orientations and choices”. They also “constitute
an opportunity to work and to win more supporters, within the
context of democracy and pluralism which we have been keen on
establishing and consolidating, by ensuring the pluralism of candidacies
to the Presidency of the Republic and anchoring political pluralism
in the Chamber of Deputies.”
“These elections, for which we have provided all guarantees
of transparency and integrity and offered the possibility to follow
them for those from sisterly and friendly countries wishing to
attend their various stages, will provide another opportunity
for all to show a highly civilized behavior and embrace the principles
of democracy.”
Four presidential candidacies have been validated by Tunisia’s
Constitutional Council. They are those presented by President
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Mr. Mohamed Bouchiha, secretary general
of the Popular Unity Party (PUP), Mr. Mounir Beji, the president
of the Social Liberal Party (PSL), and Mr. Mohamed Ali Halouani
(“Ettajdid Movement”).
President Ben Ali had been nominated by the Democratic Constitutional
Rally (RCD). His candidacy was also endorsed by two other opposition
parties --the Democratic Unionist Union (UDU) The Social Democratic
Movement party (MDS), and has received the support of major national
organizations and unions in the country.
Presidential and legislative elections will take
place in Tunisia on Sunday, October 24, 2004.
Tunisian nationals abroad can vote in the presidential
elections. They will cast their ballots in various cities around
the word from October 16 to October 23, 2004.
Full text of the speech
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