Egypt partners with Google to promote 'unmatched diversity' tourism campaign    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    World Bank: Global commodity prices to fall 17% by '26    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    France's harmonised inflation eases slightly in April    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Tunisia bans ex-ruling party leaders from ballot
Tunis follows up the banning of the country's former ruling party by preventing senior members from participating in 24 July election, the first to be supervised by an independent body
Reuters Published in Ahram Online on 26 - 04 - 2011

Senior members of Tunisia's former ruling party will be banned from a 24 July election and the vote will be run by an independent body for the first time, Prime Minister Beji Caid Sebsi said on Tuesday.
After the ousting of President Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali in a "Jasmine Revolution" that triggered upheaval across the Arab world, interim authorities have announced the ballot for a new assembly to rewrite the North African country's constitution.
Sebsi said those who held senior positions in Ben Ali's former Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) party for the past decade would be barred from contesting. So would all Ben Ali's former advisors.
"We are going to prepare a list of the names of these people," Sebsi told a news conference in Tunis.
Ben Ali was toppled by mass protests on 14 January after 23 years in power and fled to Saudi Arabia. Since then, a judge has ruled that the former ruling party is to be disbanded and its funds seized.
An advisory council set up after Ben Ali was overthrown had recommended the ban on top RCD members from the election, but it has only now become policy.
Interim authorities in the Mediterranean country of more than 10 million people scrapped Ben Ali's feared state security apparatus and appointed a new government on 7 March to carry out political reform and a transition to democracy.
"For the first time, an independent committee will run the elections," said Sebsi. "This is the first time that government will not interfere in elections."
Ben Ali won nearly 90 per cent of the vote in the last presidential election in 2009 -- slightly down on his margin of victory five years earlier. Tunisia's main opposition figures did not contest a poll they dismissed as a farce.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Europe's main rights and security watchdog, says Tunisia has made a good start in its transition to democracy but faces a challenge to meet people's expectations of rapid progress.

Clic here to read the story from its source.