Brussels, 27/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - Tunisians went to the polls on Sunday 26 October to elect their first effective parliament since the 2011 revolution, to replace the Constituent Assembly whose efforts had brought the adoption of what is seen as an advanced constitution. Initial forecasts put the modernising secular Nida Tounes party in the lead and the Islamists in relative decline. The possibility of a coalition has been voiced but remains for the moment at the talking stage.
The day before the vote, an article by European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Füle in Tunisia's main French-language newspaper La Presse highlighted the merits of a union of the parties around the major national challenges. “Just as for the constitution, there has to be a responsible dialogue among all stakeholders, especially the social partners”, he wrote. “The success of the transition is dependent, too, on improvement of the country's economic and social situation. This will require further reform to improve the business climate, and to attract and sustain job-creating investment”.
The EU, Füle added, stands “ready to support Tunisia” and has, he noted, “made a comprehensive offer to try to ensure greater Tunisian integration in the European market” as well as, for example, “the dialogue on migration issues”. On the crucial matter of security, he stated: “We are also ready to support Tunisia against extremism and violence”. Civil society, he said, had a “key role” to play in this process. (FB)