A major aspect, accepting the results...

There is less than 24 hours left before the results of the Tunisian election are announced.  Since the last polls showed that there were an immense number of undecided voters, it’s really anyone’s game right now.

Like in every election, there will be surprises, winners and losers. One of the most important parts will be the reaction to the results by the parties. If the organization that oversees the election and the numerous outside observers see no fraud in the vote, all parties must accept the results – for better or for worse. If this is not the case, the transition to democracy could be seriously hampered and we could witness the region lose stability.

For the time being, most of the political parties have said they will live with the results. Ennahda’s leader however has stated earlier this week that he feared electoral fraud. In a surprising declaration, Rached Ghannouchi said that he was confident his team would win a majority and that if any foul play was suspected in the tally, he would immediately join with revolutionary forces. He also commented on the possibility of a coalition, saying “if the progressive parties join forces against Ennadha in the event of a win for us, it will be a direct attack on democracy.” 

Almost instantly, many voices denounced his statements, deeming them to be preparations in the event of a loss – fuel to the fire, aimed at their militants. Ettakatol and the PDP have tried to calm things down, calling for people to not give in to fear and reminding them that a coalition government is part of democracy.

With that said, things are relatively positive up to this point. Protests regarding the Nessma TV incident have ceased and the only crowds gathered in the downtown area of Tunis were to celebrate Gadhafi’s death. The only thing out of place is the delivery of ballot boxes by military trucks around the city.

A few regrettable incidents have unfortunately occurred during the diaspora votes in Qatar, Algeria and Lebannon. The heads of three voting stations were fired a day or two before the elections for partisan reasons. Reports came out saying that the offices were sending out text messages to encourage electors to vote for Ennahda.

Even with this minor incident, there was a strong sense of euphoria in social networks yesterday. Many Tunisians shared their joy towards having the right to vote for the first time. Everything seems in place for a peaceful vote without any problems. I'll say this much; given the actual situation, things could hardly go better in Tunisia.