The election marks the last stage of Tunisia's move to democracy, after the 2011 overthrow of President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali.
It is the first time Tunisians have been able vote freely for their president since independence from France in 1956.
Tunisia's first free presidential election after exit polls suggested Beji Caid Essebsi had won.
Moncef Marzouki(67),the caretaker president, a former exile, said his rival's declaration of victory was "undemocratic".
Moncef Marzouki, a 67-year-old human rights activists has been interim president since 2011 and is more popular in the conservative, poorer south
Beji Caid Essebsi(88) has been celebrating with supporters, telling them all Tunisians now need to "work together", and promising to bring stability.
Beji Caid Essebsi appeared on local television after polls closed on Sunday, saying, "I dedicate my victory to the martyrs of Tunisia."
Beji Caid Essebsi held office under both deposed President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali and Tunisia's first post-independence leader, Habib Bourguiba.
Critics say his success marks the return of a discredited establishment.
Official results are not expected until Monday evening Dec 22,2014. One exit poll gave Beji Caid Essebsi 55.5%, with several others showing similar figures.
Beji Caid Essebsi wins presidential run-off
Beji Caid Essebsi has been confirmed as winner of Tunisia's first free presidential poll as he secured 55.68% of the vote in Sunday's run-off, defeating caretaker president Moncef Marzouki (44.32%), the head of the electoral commission said.
Beji Caid Essebsi- 88-year-old lawyer and politician
- Studied law in Paris
- Interior minister under Habib Bourguiba, Tunisia's first president after independence
- Speaker of parliament under ousted President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali
- Interim prime minister in 2011 after the uprising
- Founder of secular-leaning Nidaa Tounes party in 2014
- Supported by Tunisian General Labour Union and some business groups
2014 Tunisian Presidential Election Sunday Nov 23,2014
A presidential election is scheduled to be held in Tunisia on Sunday November 23,2014and a second round of voting will take place on December 28,2014 if needed
It will be the first regular presidential election after the 2011 Tunisian Revolution and the adoption of the constitution in January 2014.
Sunday’s election has been billed as Tunisia's first free and fair poll since independence from France in 1956. The vote will also mark the first time one president hands over the reins to another.
Tunisia has had just two presidents - the founder of modern Tunisia, Habib Bourguiba, and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1987. Moncef Marzouki has served as interim leader since Ben Ali was toppled in the uprising three years ago
Voting
is due to start at 7am local time (06:00 GMT) and polling stations will
close at 6pm. More than 4,500 polling booths have been set up to
receive more than 5.2 million eligible voters.
At
least 80,000 security personnel have been deployed around the country
and up to 22,000 observers, 600 of them foreigners, are monitoring the
elections
Presidential Candidates
Incumbent President Moncef Marzouki(Congress for Republic) is facing 26 other candidates in the election which includes -
Kamel Morjane,Foregin Minister under President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali(Initiative)
and Beji Caid el Sebsi(Nidaa Tounes)
Tunisia's presidential election will go to a run-off after no candidate secured an overall majority in the first round of voting
Beji Caid Essebsi of the secular-leaning Nidaa Tounes party came first with 39% of the vote, ahead of interim leader Moncef Marzouki on 33%
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