Tunisia Islamist party seeking coalition partners

THE moderate Islamist party that appears to have won Tunisia’s elections was in talks with rivals yesterday about forming an interim coalition government to lead the birthplace of the Arab Spring through its transition to democracy.

Partial results supported the Ennahda party’s claims that it had won the most seats in a 217-member assembly tasked with running the country and writing its new constitution. But they indicate the Islamists had failed to win an outright majority, meaning a coalition must be formed.

Ennahda’s ability to win an election as well as work with other groups will be closely watched in the Arab world, where other Islamist parties are to compete in elections soon. Tunisia has a strong secular tradition, and Ennahda officials promised a broad-based coalition.

Abdel Hamid Jelassi, Ennahda’s campaign manager, said the party already had a raft of measures set to be implemented next month to “address the urgent needs of the Tunisian people.” Some 18% of Tunisians are unemployed, mostly the young, and the economy has been hard hit by a drop in tourism and the civil war in neighbouring Libya.

Tunisians overthrew their longtime dictator in January, sparking similar movements in other Arab countries and successful revolutions in Egypt and Libya. Ennahda, which was long suppressed by Tunisia’s ousted dictator, emerged as the best organised party in the Tunisian election.

Ennahda says it wants sharia, or Islamic law, to be the source of Tunisia’s legislation, but also insists that the country’s progressive personal status code is compatible with its ideals and that it respects all religions and creeds. It also has promised to safeguard women’s rights.

However, nearly 200 people demonstrated outside the conference hall where results were announced yesterday afternoon. The protesters claimed that several of the more successful parties, including Ennahda, had engaged in vote buying or influencing the elections on Sunday.

“The law must be applied to bring down the parties that committed fraud,” said Rachid Glenza, one of the demonstrators.

The election commission and foreign observer delegations have said they have not seen any evidence of vote buying or serious fraud.