Ennahda party wins Tunisia's first free elections but fails to win outright majority.
By REUTERSEnnahda 311(photo credit: Reuters)
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.Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the Ennahda party, said, "We give our promise to them to continue to realize 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.
