President Ben Ali's
address to Tunisian people on eve of elections
Carthage, 23 October 2004
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Fellow citizens,
Tomorrow, Sunday, you will head to the polling stations
to elect the President of the Republic and members of the Chamber
of Deputies. By so doing, you will be practicing your right to
vote and be discharging a duty, which is one of the most eminent
among the citizens' duties.
This Election Day comes as the crowning stage of
an electoral campaign for the presidential and legislative elections
which, by and large, has taken place in a civilized atmosphere.
It has been one in which all hopefuls have been able to make known
their programs, particularly via radio and television broadcasts:
the number of the latter granted to the opposition parties has
been five times higher than those given to Constitutional Democratic
Rally.
All regions of the country have witnessed an intense
activity and the electoral campaign has taken place within the
framework of law and the democratic principles.
While expressing my thanks and my consideration
to the contending parties, I would like to avail myself of this
opportunity to pay tribute, one more time, to the Tunisians, Men
and Women, for the degree of maturity they have shown.
Ahead of polling day and in order for voting to
take place in optimum conditions, in line with the legal provisions
and the voters' will, I would like to point out that we have made
available, through the amendment added to the Electoral Code,
all the conditions that guarantee transparency and fairness of
vote casting.
In this way, the number of the polling stations
has been brought down, and we have rationalized the distribution
of voting cards, which has started for months: and we have ensured
the conditions to help them be delivered to their addressees.
Additionally, the electoral code now makes it possible
to any elector who has not received his card to get it at the
municipality where he is registered, even on voting day.
We have also made it possible for the registered
lists to appoint poll watchers, from among the electors registered
in other electoral constituencies, to be present at polling places.
We have been attached to the respect of law and
its enforcement, as well as to ensuring the freedom of choice,
transparency and fairness.
We have also given the possibility to all those
who, among the sisterly and friendly countries, expressed the
wish to follow these elections, to do so alongside a large number
of Tunisian and foreign journalists.
We also have taken the initiative to create the
National Elections Observatory, made up of independent national
figures, in order for this body to monitor all stages of the voting
process and make an assessment of it in a report to be submitted
to the President of the Republic.
We have also worked to provide this observatory
with all the means, facilities and work conditions that will help
it accomplish its mission, by giving instructions to the administration
to guarantee this.
We note with great satisfaction that the law has
been complied with by most of the candidates and that their party
members have generally demonstrated their attachment to the principles
and ethics of civilized conduct.
We have also directed to facilitate the observers'
task and to enable them to follow the voting operations so that
their monitoring be direct and that their assessment be both objective
and fair.
Fellow citizens,
Voting is both a national right and duty. This underscores
the need for us to go in large number on Sunday to the polling
stations to elect the President of the Republic and the members
of the chamber of deputies and renew our commitment to Tunisia.
For the vote is one of the loftiest features of participation.
I am persuaded that you will turn out massively
to cast your votes and that, when voting, you will take into consideration
Tunisia's interest, and nothing but its interest.''
Thank you for your attention.
