TUNISIA
Parliamentary Chamber: Majlis Al-Nuwaab

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1999

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Chamber:
  Majlis Al-Nuwaab


Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

  24 October 1999


Purpose of elections:

  Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.


Background and outcome of elections:

  The legislative and presidential elections held on 24 October 1999 were marked by major procedural modifications to the Constitution and the Electoral Code in connection with the process of democratisation and political pluralism under way since 7 November 1987.

As for elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the changes concerned the total number of deputies as well as the number of seats allotted to lists which did not obtain a majority. Five years ago, a quota of 19 seats (out of 163) was set for these lists. This year, out of the total number of seats to be filled, namely 182, 34 were not set aside for the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), the presidential party. As per the results, five opposition parties, the Democratic Socialist Movement (MDS), the Unionist Democratic Union (UNU), the People's Unity Party (PUP), the Renovation Movement and the Liberal Social Party (PSL), divided up the 34 seats which are by law reserved for parties which did not obtain an absolute majority of votes in the legislative elections.

As a result of these elections, the number of women deputies virtually doubled (21 up from 11).

In the presidential elections, for the first time in the country's history, there were three candidates, namely, outgoing President Zine El-Abidine Bel Ali, Mr. Mohemed Belhaj Amor, Secretary General of the People's Union Party (PUP) and Mr. Abderrahmen Tlili for the Union Democratic Union (UDU). President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali was re-elected for a third and last term as per the present Constitution of Tunisia. One month after the elections, President Ben Ali announced the appointment of Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi to the post of Prime Minister. Several changes were made in the composition of the government, including the establishment of a ministry in charge of human rights, communication and relations with the Chamber of Deputies, and the appointment of four women to the Government.

STATISTICS
Round no 1 (24 October 1999): Elections results  
Number of registered electors 3 387 542
Voters 3 100 098 (92 %)
Blank or invalid ballot papers 9 036
Valid votes 3 091 062

Round no 1: Distribution of seats  
Political Group Total
Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) 148
Democratic Socialist Movement (MDS) 13
Popular Unity Party (PUP) 7
Unionist Democratic Union (UDU) 7
Renovation Movement 5
Socialist Liberal Party (PLS) 2

Distribution of seats according to sex:  
Men: 161
Women: 21
Percent of women: 11.54


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Copyright � 1999 Inter-Parliamentary Union