“When your neighbor’s beards see shaving, put yours to soak.” Last Sunday, thousands of Algerians spent the night awake waiting for the first election results in Tunisia, slept very late in the hope of a change in the neighboring country that could mean the light at the end of the tunnel. Tunisia’s electoral debate was massively followed in Algeria. On the eve of the election, the possibilities of each candidate were discussed in the bars. a sense of proximity between the two countries never experienced since the Algerian War in 1956.
On Monday morning, Tunisia had a new president, Kas Said. A lawyer specializing in constitutional law without the support of a partisan structure, a man known for his fundamentalism even rejected public funding with the aim of carrying out an “atypical campaign” in a very corrupt country thousands of people took to the streets to celebrate the victory of a man favorable to the death penalty, contrary to homosexuality , who declares himself a nationalist and protectionist in the economic field, advocate of public enterprises and who has expressed doubts about equality issues such as the law equating men and women in matters of inheritance. He beat Karaoui, who admitted his defeat on the same election night. And so Kas Said’s desire to “reverse the pyramid of power” attracted Tunisian voters.
With two months to go before the presidential election, thousands of Algerians continue to take to the streets every Friday to demand a radical change in the system and the expulsion of their iconic figures, this Friday for thirty-fifth consecutive week they will take to the streets with a dose of hope. On the other side, power shows an unwavering determination. The idea of a third postponement of the election remains unthinkable as all conditions are met for protesters to express their wishes at a ballot box on 12 December.
Presidential elections in North Africa contradict all analyses. Tunisia has certainly taken a long time to build its democracy, but the foundations now seem solid. The other lesson is that transparent and open suffrage is possible in the Muslim world on the condition that people take their destination with their own hands. From last Sunday the beards, whiskers and even the hairdressers of the Algerian dome are soaking and that is an extra hope for the Hirak of Algeria.
