Tunisia’s status as the only place where the “Arab Spring” actually worked will face a major test this weekend, when voters return to the polls in the first round of the presidential election.  It will be the first freely contested presidential election in Tunisia’s history.

There could be good reason for boosters of secular democracy to keep their hopes up.  Last month, Tunisians elected the Nidaa Tunis party – a big tent party of secular leftists, progressive liberals, and local interests – to a majority of 85 seats in parliament.  The leading Islamist party Ennahda was pushed into second place with 69.  Even though the presidency has been reduced to a largely ceremonial role since the fall of autocratic President Zine El-Abedine Ben Ali in 2011, a win for Nidaa Tunis’ leader Beji Caid Essebsi would strengthen the party’s influence.

“These are the most important elections in the history of Tunisia,” said 27-year old Anis Smaali, who leads thousands of election observers who will be keeping an eye out for hijinx on Sunday.  “After this we will have a real government with a five-year mandate.  Tunisia is showing that a real and sustainable democracy is possible in the Arab world.”

Indeed, the other nations of the “Arab Spring” didn’t fare so well.  Yemen is torn by fighting Islamist factions, Egypt appears to have gone back to a military strongman-style government, and Libya is a lawless mess with Islamists fighting militarists and no one is in charge.