Islamist victory in Tunisia polls
- 13 years ago
Tunisia's Islamist Ennahda party has emerged the victor in the nation's first ever free elections.
The party, banned before the revolution that ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, won 90 of the 217 seats in the new assembly.
It's not an outright win.
The party is expected to form a coalition with two of the secularist runners-up.
Ennahda's leader is pledging a new dawn for Tunisians.
SOUNDBITE: Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the Ennahda party, saying (Arabic):
"We give our promise to them to continue to realise the aims of the revolution in a Tunisia that is free, independent, developing and prosperous, and where the rights of God, the Prophet, women, men, the religious and non-religious, are assured because Tunisia is for everybody."
While Ennahda's supporters celebrate, the promises of its leader haven't prevented some backlash.
Supporters of one opposition party set the mayor's office on fire in a town where votes were discounted because of campaign finance violations.
The trouble flared in Sidi Bouzid, birthplace of the revolution, but appears to have been an isolated incident.
Paul Chapman, Reuters
The party, banned before the revolution that ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, won 90 of the 217 seats in the new assembly.
It's not an outright win.
The party is expected to form a coalition with two of the secularist runners-up.
Ennahda's leader is pledging a new dawn for Tunisians.
SOUNDBITE: Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the Ennahda party, saying (Arabic):
"We give our promise to them to continue to realise the aims of the revolution in a Tunisia that is free, independent, developing and prosperous, and where the rights of God, the Prophet, women, men, the religious and non-religious, are assured because Tunisia is for everybody."
While Ennahda's supporters celebrate, the promises of its leader haven't prevented some backlash.
Supporters of one opposition party set the mayor's office on fire in a town where votes were discounted because of campaign finance violations.
The trouble flared in Sidi Bouzid, birthplace of the revolution, but appears to have been an isolated incident.
Paul Chapman, Reuters