Tunisia’s Ennahda claims victory in landmark local elections
tunis — Tunisia’s Islamist Ennahda party claimed victory late on Sunday in the country’s first free municipal elections, a key step in a democratic transition marred by economic disappointment.
After polling stations closed at 6pm, top Ennahda official Lotfi Zitoun said the party was more than 5 per cent ahead of its secularist rival, Nidaa Tounes, citing vote counts observed by the party.
Ennahda and Nidaa Tounes are also coalition partners in the national government. They were expected to dominate the long-delayed polls, which will see officials elected in 350 municipalities for the first time since a 2011 uprising ended decades of authoritarian rule.
“This result is a reward for the new tolerant and democratic Ennahda ... Ennahda which searched for consensus,” Zitoun said.
Ennahda will “continue to keep the consensus with our partners”, spokesman Imed Khemiri said in a statement at party headquarters in Tunis, where supporters gathered outside and sang revolutionary songs from 2011.
“It’s important that the two main parties won and it’s important for the political balance in the country.”
Borhan Bsais, a Nidaa Tounes official, said his party probably trailed Ennahda by 3 to 5 per cent.
Tunisia’s long-serving autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was toppled without triggering major violence.
But enthusiasm for democratic
This result is a reward for the new tolerant and democratic Ennahda ... Ennahda which searched for consensus. Lotfi Zitoun, Ennahda official
change has long given way to anger over stubbornly low living standards, which have driven some Tunisians to make the dangerous sea crossing to Europe in search of work or have prompted a few to turn to militancy.
“I intended to boycott, but I changed my mind at the last moment,” Mohamed Ali Abadi, said after leaving a polling station. “We are facing a lot of economic problems but will continue our way in a real democracy”.
Voter turnout was 33.7 per cent, according to the election commission.
The commission decided to postpone elections in eight centres in Mdhila in the south because of a mistake in the election papers. Clashes were reported in several areas.
Political parties have spoken about violations in several towns, including trying to influence voters and distribute money.
Adel Brinsi, a member of the Independent Electoral Commission, said some abuses occurred at the polling stations but they were not significant and did not affect the election results or their normal functioning. —