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Tunisia election: Secularists set to oust Ennahda party | Tunisia election: Secularists set to oust Ennahda party |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Tunisia's secularists are poised to win the most seats in a close-run election that should see the country's ruling Islamists pushed into second place. | Tunisia's secularists are poised to win the most seats in a close-run election that should see the country's ruling Islamists pushed into second place. |
The Nidaa Tounes party is expected to win around 80 of 217 seats, with the governing Ennahda party taking 70. | The Nidaa Tounes party is expected to win around 80 of 217 seats, with the governing Ennahda party taking 70. |
Ennahda officials have congratulated Nidaa Tounes and urged them to form an inclusive government. | |
Tunisia's transition to democratic rule after a 2011 revolt has been hailed as a regional success story. | Tunisia's transition to democratic rule after a 2011 revolt has been hailed as a regional success story. |
The revolt was the first and least violent of the Arab Spring uprisings against autocratic governments across the region. | The revolt was the first and least violent of the Arab Spring uprisings against autocratic governments across the region. |
The parliamentary poll was the second such election since the uprising. | The parliamentary poll was the second such election since the uprising. |
Ennahda official Lotfi Zitoun told Reuters news agency his party accepted the result and congratulated the winner. | |
"We are calling once again for the formation of a unity government in the interest of the country," he was quoted as saying. | |
Earlier, Ennahda leader Rachid Ghannouchi was quoted as saying that the winner of the election should respect Tunisia's need for "a government of national unity, a political consensus". | |
"This is the policy that has saved the country from what other Arab Spring countries are going through," he told local TV station Hannibal. | |
At the scene: The BBC's Naveena Kottoor in Tunis | At the scene: The BBC's Naveena Kottoor in Tunis |
At the Nidaa Tounes party headquarters the reaction this afternoon to the lead in the polls was still restrained. "This is a victory for Tunisia," they told the BBC. While the party was widely expected to do well, the top spot still comes as a surprise not only to the party, but to many Tunisians. | At the Nidaa Tounes party headquarters the reaction this afternoon to the lead in the polls was still restrained. "This is a victory for Tunisia," they told the BBC. While the party was widely expected to do well, the top spot still comes as a surprise not only to the party, but to many Tunisians. |
Nidaa Tounes emerged on the political scene in 2013. It is a hotchpotch of independents, secular politicians and - to the dismay of many - former regime officials who served under deposed President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. | Nidaa Tounes emerged on the political scene in 2013. It is a hotchpotch of independents, secular politicians and - to the dismay of many - former regime officials who served under deposed President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. |
The party has strong support among the public administration and the Tunisian elites, many of whom still enjoy the same privileges they enjoyed under the previous regime. | The party has strong support among the public administration and the Tunisian elites, many of whom still enjoy the same privileges they enjoyed under the previous regime. |
Its octogenarian leader, Beji Caid Essebsi, is also a leading candidate in the upcoming presidential polls. His strategy has been to focus on his extensive experience compared to his rivals. | Its octogenarian leader, Beji Caid Essebsi, is also a leading candidate in the upcoming presidential polls. His strategy has been to focus on his extensive experience compared to his rivals. |
For Ennahda and the two smaller secular parties that formed the first elected government here after the revolution, the election result is a bitter pill to swallow. Many were proud of their role in writing and adopting a new constitution. But it seems that the electorate has punished them for the lack of economic and social reform. | For Ennahda and the two smaller secular parties that formed the first elected government here after the revolution, the election result is a bitter pill to swallow. Many were proud of their role in writing and adopting a new constitution. But it seems that the electorate has punished them for the lack of economic and social reform. |
"This result is fine, I am not really surprised," one member of Ennahda's political bureau told the BBC. "Governments that are leading during a political transition are often punished at the polls." | |
Talks on a possible power-sharing deal are expected to begin this week. | Talks on a possible power-sharing deal are expected to begin this week. |
Tunisia's secularists and Islamists have managed the transition to democracy with less acrimony and bloodshed than their neighbours, correspondents say. | Tunisia's secularists and Islamists have managed the transition to democracy with less acrimony and bloodshed than their neighbours, correspondents say. |
The country nevertheless faces a persistent low-level threat from militants. | The country nevertheless faces a persistent low-level threat from militants. |
Radical groups had threatened to disrupt the elections, and on Thursday, gunmen shot a policeman on the outskirts of the capital, Tunis. | Radical groups had threatened to disrupt the elections, and on Thursday, gunmen shot a policeman on the outskirts of the capital, Tunis. |
But voting on Sunday appeared to pass without any major incidents. | But voting on Sunday appeared to pass without any major incidents. |
Around five million Tunisians were registered to cast their ballot, with overseas residents having already voted on Friday. | Around five million Tunisians were registered to cast their ballot, with overseas residents having already voted on Friday. |