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Kais Saeid is Tunisia's likely president, polls suggest

TUNIS, Oct 13 (KUNA) -- Kais Saeid looks set to become Tunisia's president after exit polls on Sunday show him winning the country's elections by a landslide.
The law professor, 61, has secured 76.9 percent of the votes, according to the poll, making him the country's second democratically-elected leader since a revolution overthrew Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.
Tunisia decided to hold early elections following the death of former president Beji Caid Essebsi in July.
Saeid is for reinstating the death penalty, abolished in 1994, and has called for electoral reforms, including changes to regional elections.
Despite declaring himself an independent candidate, he has gained the backing of several parties, most notably the moderately Islamist-leaning Ennahda.
His rival is 56-year-old media mogul Nabil Karoui, who was recently acquitted by court after being arrested on money laundering and tax fraud charges during his campaign.
Turnout for the second round of the elections, which narrowed down the candidates to the remaining two, rose considerably to 57.8 percent from 43 percent in the previous round, a separate poll suggested.
Official results are to be announced later in the day, the elections commission said. (pickup previous) ksj.sd