Parliamentary elections in Tunisia

(Baonghean.vn) - At 7:00 AM on Sunday, October 26th, polling stations in Tunisia were ready for voters to cast their ballots to elect new members of Parliament. An estimated 5.3 million Tunisian voters are participating in today's election.

October 2011 is considered a historic milestone for Tunisia as it marked the successful holding of free elections for the first time. The elections on Sunday, October 26th, were also considered crucial for Tunisia as they served as a test of the stability of the Tunisian state nearly four years after the start of the "Arab Spring" revolution. The Tunisian state was established following the uprising in January 2011.

A voter casts their ballot on October 26. Photo: Anis Mili

Within 18 hours, nearly 5.3 million voters will cast their ballots to elect 217 members of Congress for a five-year term. Congressional delegates will then elect a president on November 23rd.

According to analysts, the two leading parties are the Islamist Ennahda Party and its rival, the Nidaa Tounés Party. The Islamist Ennahda Party won the parliamentary elections and formed a caretaker government in October 2011. It has held power since 2012. The Nidaa Tounés Party, on the other hand, is comprised of former opponents of the overthrown dictator Ben Ali and his close associates.

According to authorities, approximately 80,000 police and soldiers have been deployed to ensure the safety of polling stations and voters. The government deployed such a large security force due to concerns about attacks from jihadist organizations aimed at disrupting the election.

Since 2011, clashes with jihadist groups have claimed the lives of dozens of police officers and soldiers. On Friday, a 24-hour military siege killed six members of an armed group at a house on the outskirts of the capital Tunis. Five of those killed were women. Tunisia currently represents the last hope for a successful democratic transition in the countries experiencing the Arab Spring revolutions. The Arab Spring in other countries has largely descended into chaos and frequent repression.

Chu Thanh– According to LeMonde, October 26