Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali re-elected.

Tunisia's president has been re-elected for a fifth five-year term with 89.62% of the vote, the country's interior ministry announced today. It was the lowest percentage of the vote by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali since he took power in a bloodless coup in 1987. Mr Ben Ali was last re-elected in 2004 with more than 94 per cent of votes - a drop from his previous victories, which fluctuated between 99.2 and 99.7 per cent. The turnout rate was 89.45 per cent of Tunisia's 5.3 million voters, authorities said.

...WOW! This election in Tunisia achieved a voter turnout of 89% - that is brilliant and demonstrates democracy in action. To get a 89% voter turnout is marvelous and it shows that only 10% of Tunisians are apathetic. President Ben Ali is not a young man taking Tunisia forward, he is 73 years old! For a 73 year old man to get re-elected for the fifth successive time and having been president since 1987 shows just how popular Ben Ali continues to be. For Ben Ali to get 89% of the votes for his fifth term is the envy of politicians the world over. Tunisia is expecting 3 per cent growth in gross domestic product this year despite the global recession. The country's poverty rate has dropped below 4 per cent and it is a regional model in terms of literacy, social welfare and the role women play in society. Therefore it is hardly a surprise that Ben Ali has been re-elected.

Here in the UK voter turnout at the last general election in 2005 was a miserable 61%, it was even worse in 2001 at 59%. This demonstrates how much apathy there is among British voters, which is a shame because our people have little say in the way things are run in our country. Around 40% of adults in Britain have lost faith in democracy and cannot be bothered to vote.

Tunisia is a nice country and a wonderful holiday destination. I have been on holiday three times to Tunisia and we shall be going again in five weeks time, with another holiday booked there for next year. By the middle of next year I will have visited Tunisia five times, a number equal to the terms of office Ben Ali has been elected for!
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