Tunis — As of 8 am this morning Tunisians headed to polling stations to vote in the 2009 Presidential Elections. The elections which are taking place in a climate marked by political freedom and pluralism, will determine the country's President of the Republic and the members of the Chamber of Deputies in 26 electoral wards throughout the country.

Candidates to the 2009 Presidential elections are, the incumbent President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Mr Mohamed Bouchiha, Mr Ahmed Innoubli, and Ahmed Brahim. Nine political parties are vying for the legislative elections in addition to 15 independent lists.

"TUNISIAONLINENEWS" visited 4 polling stations in the capital this morning and collected the following reactions from voters.

Mrs Abidi hailed the positive climate in which the polls took place. At the Hannibal secondary school in the district of El Manar in Tunis, Mrs Myriem, stressed the importance of the event which confirms the civic maturity of Tunisians, in exercising their rights as citizens. On his part, the Head of a polling station, Mr Dakhloui, evoked the great number of voters, stressing the rate of 45% out of 615 registered voters.

The reporters and journalists from all over the world who came to cover the elections appreciated the climate as well as the organisation of voting.

The new element in these elections is undoubtedly the fact that half a million potential voters aged between 18 and 20 will be able to vote thanks to the amendment of the electoral code on April 13,2009 which has lowered the voting age from 20 to 18.

On the eve of the elections, the President of the Republic delivered an address in which he hailed all the candidate lists from all political sensitivities competing for the elections, stressing Tunisia's commitment to progress and its pride in the achievements made.

In response to those who are "questioning" election results even before the final countdown of votes, in an attempt to harm Tunisia and denigrate its achievements, President Ben Ali said that Tunisia "will not tolerate any abuse, forging or manipulation of the people's will".