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Results of Tunisia’s municipal elections

Tunis, 28 May, 2000


Mr. Abdallah Kallel, Minister of the Interior, held a press conference on Monday 29 May, 2000 in which he proclaimed the results of municipal elections in all constituencies and provided details on the various stages of the electoral process.

Official Results of Municipal Elections

Number of seats: 4,128

Registered voters: 2,037,773
Votes cast: 1,711,762
Spoilt votes: 8,501
Votes counted: 1,703,260
Average overall participation rate: 84.001%

Result breakdown according to candidate lists is as follows:

Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) lists won 3,885 seats out of a total of 4,128 seats, in 256 electoral constituencies
Socialist Democratic Movement (MDS) lists: 78 seats in 25 constituencies
Ettajdid Movement lists: 9 seats in 3 constituencies
Popular Unity Party (PUP) lists: 42 seats in 14 constituencies
Democratic Unionist Union (UDU) lists: 35 seats in 13 constituencies
Social Liberal Party (PSL) lists: 12 seats in 5 constituencies
Independent lists: 67 seats in 22 constituencies

Thus, the number of municipal councilors from opposition parties or independent lists reached a total of 243.

The Minister underscored the excellent conditions in which the elections had taken place, in compliance with legislation and in a climate of fair competition, as set forth in President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's guidelines, allowing Tunisian citizens to choose their representatives within municipal councils in total freedom and transparency.

Mr. Kallel observed that these elections came after the amendment to the Electoral Code requiring voters to go inside the polling booth with all ballot papers, thus implementing one of the chief items on the Head of State's agenda for the future.

The Minister of the Interior indicated that the overall participation rate to the May 28 polls had reached 84.001% and that the Democratic Constitutional Rally's lists had won 3885 seats out of a total of 4128 seats, as against 243 seats for participating opposition parties and independent lists.

He stated that the municipal councils turned out by these elections to ensure the first mandate for the 21st century were called upon to accomplish further achievements and bring together all favorable conditions for the development of Tunisian cities after the councilors from the previous mandate had laid the foundations for efficient municipal action.

Furthermore, the Minister of the Interior evoked the steps taken during the preparation of these municipal elections, showing the Head of State's attachment to compliance with legislation by all parties, to the administration's total neutrality, and to an adequate treatment of all candidates. In this context, he mentioned the ordinary review of electoral lists as well as the exceptional review ordered by the Head of State providing electors with an additional opportunity to register their names on these lists so as to accomplish their electoral duty.

The Minister of the Interior went on to give details on statements by candidates to the elections from parties as well as independent lists, indicating that 339 lists of candidates out of 353 had received their final receipt.

These lists comprised 5916 candidates running for 4144 seats in 257 electoral constituencies.

Concerning the electoral campaign, the Minister commended the administration's efforts to meet the demands presented by candidate lists concerning meetings and billboards for their electoral manifestoes. He also mentioned the media's coverage of the electoral campaign of the various participating parties.

The Minister of the Interior expressed his satisfaction for the climate of serenity in which the electoral campaign had taken place, a campaign marked by a general concern to comply with legal procedures; so that not a single instance of abuse or complaint was recorded, except for a number of simple cases which were solved in a timely fashion. In this regard, he recalled that the polling operation had been postponed in the Boussalem constituency, in the governorate of Jendouba, due to bad weather conditions and difficulties in reaching polling stations.

In his answer to journalists, Mr. Kallel underscored that any observer monitoring the progress of political life in Tunisia since the Change can attest that, in compliance with legislation, elections are held at regular intervals and that they are never postponed.

He indicated that the satisfactory climate in which the Sunday 28 May elections had taken place and their outcome are a new landmark on the way to translating the democratic and pluralist process into fact, a process which President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is keen on bringing to fruition.

In his answer to a question on the importance of the opposition on the political scene, Mr. Kallel mentioned the various initiatives and legislative reforms initiated by the Head of State to promote political life and reinforce the presence of opposition parties within national organizations and elected bodies, underscoring the President's determination to enhance legislation whenever necessary to keep apace with the progress of society. However, he noted, enhancing pluralism remains a responsibility which also belongs to opposition parties.

Concerning a question on spacing out elections, the Minister of the Interior indicated that elections are organized in compliance with the law, but that such political events are also supported by various consultations aimed at taking into account the concerns of the people in the various economic, social, and cultural fields.

Concerning the postponed elections in Boussalem, Mr. Kallel indicated that such a postponement, dictated by weather conditions, stems from the wish to guarantee the right to vote to the people in this constituency, adding that the current municipal council will continue to discharge its duties until conditions are adequate for organizing the ballot.

The Minister of the Interior also evoked the presence of women within municipal councils, insisting on the determination to enhance the place of women as well as their participation in public life, stating the Democratic Constitutional Rally's determination to constantly strive towards attaining this objective.

Special Feature: Municipal elections of 28 May 2000

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