Both were seen as outsiders going into  last Sunday’s election were the anti-system result reflects voters rejection of the political status quo.

The results announced yesterday shocked political establishment including Prime Minister Youssef Chahed and former interim President Moncef Marzouki.

Moderate Islamist Abdelfattah Mourou was in third place.

Kaïs Saïed won 18,4 percent of the vote ahead of jailed media mogul Nabil Karoui who got 15,6 percent.

The electoral authority has not named a date for next month’s run-off which will follow legislative elections.

Saïed’s fierce independence and strong anti-corruption platform struck a note with voters looking to replace President Bejii Caid Essebsi who died in July.  

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Protestors are expected to redouble their protests after prayers tomorrow against government cost-cutting measures.

Government says the riots in Tunisia are being used as a pretext for theft and looting.

Prime Minister Yussef Chahed vows to pursue the vandals responsible for robbing and trashing shops.

He says they’re using the demonstrations as a cover for their criminal activities.

Protests began when austerity measures, including an increase in the petrol price, went into effect in the New Year.

A 43-year-old man was killed in clashes in Tebourba west of the capital Tunis.

Demonstrators are demanding a return to 2017 prices, scrapping the 2018 Budget and employment for at least one person in every poor family

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Tunisians have been battling for the past seven years since the ousting of authoritrian president Ben Ali signaled the start of  the so-called Arab Spring.

Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed says anti-austerity demonstrators must realize that 2018 will be their last difficulty year.

Opposition forces have gathered to coordinate their protests.

They’re vowing to stay on the streets until and actually increases their protests until the government eases their tax load.

Nervous authorities are ever-mindful of two deadly terror attacks three year ago that brought Tunisia’s life-blood tourism industry to its knees.

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