TUNISIA: parliamentary elections Majlis Al-Nuwab, 1989

TUNISIA
Parliamentary Chamber: Majlis Al-Nuwab

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1989

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Chamber:

Majlis Al-Nuwab

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

2 April 1989

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament following premature dissolution of this body on 2 March 1989. General elections had previously been held in November 1986.

Background and outcome of elections:

Following the November 1986 general elections, Mr. Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali took office as President of the Republic one year later – on 7 November 1987 – succeeding Mr. Habib Bourguiba. Another year later to the day, the date of the 1989 presidential and legislative elections was announced (originally for 9 April); polling for the Chamber of Deputies was not normally due until November 1991.
Also in November 1988, six opposition political parties had signed a "national pact" on multi-partyism with the Government. Thus some 350 candidates challenged the 141 (one for each seat of the enlarged Chamber of Deputies) of the ruling Democratic Constitutional Rally (Rassemblement constitutionnel démocratique – (RCD), known as the Destour Socialist Party (PSD) until 1988. The two-week campaign commenced on 19 March.
On a generally peaceful polling day, Mr. Ben Ali, unopposed, won the five-year term presidency and the RCD captured all parliamentary seats despite a strong challenge from independent candidates linked to Islamic fundamentalists and in the face of a poor showing by the main opposition Democratic Socialist Movement (MDS). This total triumph was attributed to Tunisia's simple majority electoral system.
On 11 April, President Ben Ali reshuffled his Cabinet.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (2 April 1989): Elections results

Number of registered electors 2,711,925

Voters 2,073,719 (76.46%)

Blank or invalid ballot papers 31,838

Valid votes 2,041,881

Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group %

Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) 80.48

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total

Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) 141

Comments:

16 seats added since last elections.

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 135

Women: 6

Distribution of seats according to age:

30-40 years 46

40-50 years 64

50-60 years 22

Over 60 years 9

Distribution of seats according to profession:

Professors, teachers 37

Civil servants 30

Engineers 19

Doctors 15

Lawyers 12

Businessmen 8

Judges 4

Farmers 2

Pharmacists 2

Others 12

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for TUNISIA <<<

Chamber:
	Majlis Al-Nuwab
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	2 April 1989
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament following premature dissolution of this body on 2 March 1989. General elections had previously been held in November 1986.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Following the November 1986 general elections, Mr. Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali took office as President of the Republic one year later – on 7 November 1987 – succeeding Mr. Habib Bourguiba. Another year later to the day, the date of the 1989 presidential and legislative elections was announced (originally for 9 April); polling for the Chamber of Deputies was not normally due until November 1991. Also in November 1988, six opposition political parties had signed a "national pact" on multi-partyism with the Government. Thus some 350 candidates challenged the 141 (one for each seat of the enlarged Chamber of Deputies) of the ruling Democratic Constitutional Rally (Rassemblement constitutionnel démocratique – (RCD), known as the Destour Socialist Party (PSD) until 1988. The two-week campaign commenced on 19 March. On a generally peaceful polling day, Mr. Ben Ali, unopposed, won the five-year term presidency and the RCD captured all parliamentary seats despite a strong challenge from independent candidates linked to Islamic fundamentalists and in the face of a poor showing by the main opposition Democratic Socialist Movement (MDS). This total triumph was attributed to Tunisia's simple majority electoral system. On 11 April, President Ben Ali reshuffled his Cabinet.

Round no 1 (2 April 1989): Elections results
Number of registered electors	2,711,925
Voters	2,073,719 (76.46%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	31,838
Valid votes	2,041,881

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	%
Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD)	80.48

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD)	141

Distribution of seats according to age:
30-40 years	46
40-50 years	64
50-60 years	22
Over 60 years	9
Distribution of seats according to profession:
Professors, teachers	37
Civil servants	30
Engineers	19
Doctors	15
Lawyers	12
Businessmen	8
Judges	4
Farmers	2
Pharmacists	2
Others	12