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.