TUNIS, August 22 (IslamOnline.net) - Tunisia’s largest opposition party pledged Sunday, August 22, its support for incumbent President Zine Al-Abdine Bin Ali for a fourth term in office in what analysts said that the Movement of Social Democrats (MSD) has become increasingly convinced that the Presidential race is decided in advance.

The MSD said in a statement, a copy of which was sent to IslamOnline.net, it decided to rally behind Bin Ali “so that he would carry on with his democratic drive and help Tunisia keep pace with the developed countries”.

The decision is also aimed at “cementing national unity and enhancing the values of the republic”, according to the missive.

In a referendum in May, Tunisians voted massively in favor (99%) of amending the constitution to allow Bin Ali, who has been in power since 1987, to stand for a fourth five-year mandate.

They also voted to lift the age limit for Presidential candidates from 70 to 75, meaning 67-year-old Ben Ali could run again in 2008.

Under the old constitution, the president was only allowed to remain in office for three terms.

Analysts believe that the MSD, the second party in Tunisia after the ruling Constitutional Democratic Assembly (CDA), is convinced that the battle is decided in advance in favor of Bin Ali.

A political analyst, who only spoke on condition of anonymity, told IOL Sunday, August 22, that the MSD deemed it a waste of time to run for the Presidential post.

“That’s why they decided to concentrate on the parliamentary elections to secure more seats,” he said.

“In doing so, they are also courting the ruling regime to help them garner as much as they can from coveted parliamentary seats.”

Under Tunisian law, 80 percent of the seats are allocated to the nominees of the ruling party. The remaining opposition parties can vie for the toothless 20 percent.

It means that the entire opposition parties are held hostage to the ruling party; the more they pleased the regime, the likely they would get a foothold in parliament.

But the opposition parties are also to blame for the poor performance on the country’s political landscape whether because of sharp divisions or pro-government stands. Analysts have called them “ally parities”.

Even anti-government parties have been barred by the regime from fielding a presidential candidate.

The government argues that the Democratic Progress Party, led by Mohammad Najib Shabbi, does not hold any seats in parliament.

In June, the Democratic Forum for Labour and Freedom called on all opposition parties to boycott the October elections in a ‘No to Life Presidency’ rally.