With just under half of yesterday’s votes properly confirmed, outsiders Kaïs Saïed and Nabil Karoui have taken slim lead – but nowhere near enough for an outright victory.

There’s still a possibility that the only democracy to have emerged from the Arab Spring eight years ago will produce a winner who is still in jail.

Television mogul Nabil Karoui, awaiting charges on tax evasion and money laundering was expected to do well in yesterday’s election.

But it is socially conservative law professor Kaïs Saïed who has surprised by becoming the front runner.

The strong anti-corruption candidate, who drives and old car, says if elected he will continue to live in his humble home in the capital Tunis rather than  move into the Presidential palace.

The post Tunisia’s political elite reels as outsiders take the lead in presidential race appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.