TUNISIA:Tunisia’s moderate Islamist party wins election
Laaska News Oct. 28,2011
Tunisia’s moderate Islamist Ennahda Party has won Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
They were the first to be held since the fall of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January after 23 years in power.
The country’s electoral commission said on Thursday that the Ennahda Party had won more than 40 percent of the votes, securing 90 seats out of 217.
The Ennahda Party is now the largest in the parliament, but failed to win a majority, and is likely to begin talks with other parties to form a coalition.
More than 10,000 candidates from 76 parties ran in the elections. The parliament will write a new constitution.
Over 90 percent of Tunisians are Muslims, but the former government had banned the Ennahda Party and oppressed its members.
A woman who supports the party welcomed the election results, and said Muslims should be given their rights.
A supporter of another party said he is against bringing religion into politics.
Islamic groups in Arab countries are gaining public support following moves for democratization, raising the issue of religion in politics.
NHK.
Laaska News.
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