Tunisia Election Live Blog

Ennahdha's Rachid Ghannouchi has reaffirmed his party's "commitment to the women of Tunisia".

"Ennahda reaffirms its commitment to the women of Tunisia, to strengthen their role in political decision-making, in order to avoid any going back on their social gains," he said, adding that 42 of the 49 women elected to the constituent assembly were Ennahdha candidates.

he also said women will have jobs in the coalition government "whether they wear a veil or don't wear a veil". 

Ennahdha leader Rachid Ghannouchi, whose party won Sunday's election, has called on all Tunisians to reject violence as he held a press conference in Tunis. He also called on Sidi Bouzid to calm down and blamed members of the former ruling party of spreading false rumours about his party in the town.

Tunisian supporters of an opposition party whose votes were discounted in a provincial town for irregularities set the mayor's office on fire in protest on Thursday, witnesses said.

Tunisian police also used tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters in Sidi Bouzid who backed the Popular List party run by businessman Hachmi Hamdi.

Election officials earlier said they were cancelling seats won by Hamdi's party in six electoral districts because of campaign finance violations. The party won many votes in Sidi Bouzid. [Reuters]

Tunisia's Islamist Ennahdha party has won historic democratic elections with 41.47 per cent of votes cast, nine months after the toppling of dictator Zine el Abidine Ben Ali.

The party obtained 90 seats in a new 217-member assembly that will rewrite the constitution, appoint a president and form a caretaker government, elections chief Kamel Jendoubi told journalists in Tunis on Thursday.

The leftist Congress for the Republic (CPR) was in second place with 13.82 per cent, representing 30 seats, and Ettakatol third with 9.68 per cent or 21 seats, he said. [AFP]