Tunisia's president-elect Kais Saied has won a clear mandate to fight corruption and promote social justice, even though his role focuses on security and diplomacy.

Behind the landslide victory of conservative political outsider Kais Saied in a runoff presidential vote were millions of young voters, who describe him as a leader worthy of their trust as Tunisia's democracy takes root.

Conservative political outsider Kais Saeid has won Tunisia's presidential election with 72.71 percent of votes, the North African country's electoral commission said Monday.

Tunisia prepared for Sunday's presidential runoff after the two finalists, both political outsiders, went head-to-head in a rare television debate in a last bid to woo the country's seven million voters.

Eight years after its revolution unseated a longtime dictator and sparked a regional wave of uprisings, Tunisia is hailed as the sole democratic success story of the Arab Spring.

Tunisia's presidential candidate Nabil Karoui received a hero's welcome as he walked free from jail Wednesday, just days ahead of a runoff against a political newcomer.

Just weeks after Tunisians rejected ruling political parties in the first round of presidential polls, voters are set to return to the ballot box on Sunday to elect a new parliament.

Former Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the first leader to be toppled by the Arab Spring revolts, died Thursday in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia's foreign ministry told AFP. He was 83.

Political outsider Kais Saied was leading Tunisia's election with just over a quarter of votes counted, the election commission said Monday, in the country's second free presidential vote since the Arab Spring. 

Tunisia will hold on Sunday its second free presidential election by universal suffrage since the 2011 uprising that toppled an autocratic regime, with growing uncertainty over who will reach the next round.