2014 Tunisian Parliamentary Election Sunday Oct 26,2014

The election for the 217 seat Assembly of the Representatives of the People is scheduled to be held in Tunisia on Sunday October 26,2014

 

 

It will be the first election after the adoption of the New Constituion in January 2014.


Tunisia has voted in elections to its first parliament under a new constitution, part of political changes under way since the "Arab Spring" in 2011.A series of democratic changes have taken place since the authoritarian leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted in 2011.

 Polls opened at 07:00 (06:00 GMT) and closed at 18:00 (17:00 GMT). Results are expected on Wednesday Oct 29,2014


Around five million Tunisians were registered to vote, with overseas residents having already cast their ballots on Friday.

Ennahda, which currently rules in coalition with other parties, has promised to pursue a unity government even if it wins the most seats.

Ennahda's main rival is likely to be the liberal Nidaa Tounes (Tunisia's Call), although it has promised to seek a coalition government even if it wins the most seats.

Turnout reached 65% an hour before the close of voting, state TV reported.

Dozens of people were already waiting outside polling stations when they opened early on Sunday

 

The entire election process is being tightly observed by around 800 international, as well as more than 10,000 national, election monitors across the country. The security presence is visible at the polling stations and on the streets.More than 50,000 security personnel and nearly 20,000 soldiers were ordered to be deployed on Sunday to ensure safe voting.

Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the Islamist Ennahda party, voted with his family
 

Casting his vote on Sunday, Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa said "the whole world is watching Tunisia today".

Secularist Nidaa Tounes party wins Tunisia election

Tunisia's secularist party Nidaa Tounes has won 85 seats in the country's parliament following Sunday's elections, official results show

The governing Islamist Ennahda party won 69 seats in the 217-seat chamber

The leaders of Tunisia’s strongest Islamist party, Ennahda put a brave face on their defeat in the parliamentary election on October 26th. Ahead of the official result, Ennahda conceded defeat to the secularist Nidaa Tounes (“Tunisian Call”) party, which includes members of the ancien régime of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, overthrown by a popular revolt in January 2011. 

The victory of Nidaa Tounes represents a resoundingly negative verdict on the Islamists’ two years at the head of the government, between 2012–2013 

The popularity of Beji Caid Sebsi, the veteran politician who founded Nidaa Tounes in 2012, helped his often fractious alliance to victory. Three times a minister, he emerged from retirement in 2011 as a reassuring figure in the turbulent months following the revolution, and headed the interim government that handed over to a Nahda-led coalition at the end of that year.

Despite its victory, Nidaa Tounes has not been able entirely to shake off the reputation that it represents an attempt by members of the previous ruling party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), to regain influence

A government is unlikely to be formed before Tunisians return to the polls to elect a new president on November 23,2014. Under the new constitution, the president shares power with the prime minister and parliament, as Tunisia seeks to leave behind its former over-weaning executive presidency