Epress.am News from Armenia
A huge number of voters turned out on Sunday in Tunisia’s first free elections in more than 20 years, following the fall of former president Zinedine el Abidine Ben Ali in January, in the Arab Spring’s first democratic test, reports The Epoch Times.
Election officials had initially said that turnout had passed 70 per cent two hours before the voting booths closed, and had been above 80 per cent in some areas. But by later on Sunday evening, it became apparent that the electorate was even more enthusiastic than expected.
ISIE electoral commission secretary-general Boubaker Bethabet said more than 90 per cent of some 4.1 million citizens who registered ahead of the poll had cast their votes on Sunday — at least half of all eligible voters.
No figures were available for the other 3.1 million voters who did not register but also had the right to vote, reports The Telegraph.
Voters cast their ballots to elect a 217-member assembly that will rewrite the country’s constitution and will appoint a new caretaker government.
Ennahda, the Islamist Party, has been predicted to emerge as the strongest single party when the count is declared on Tuesday, with as much as 40 per cent of the vote.