Democracy

Massive Voter Turnout in Tunisia

But tension between Islamists and secularists.

Voters flocked the polling booths in the first free election in Tunisia, the country that started the Arab Spring uprisings. But even as voters snapped cellphone pictures of the historic event, there was obvious tension between Islamists and secularists. Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the Islamist Ennahda party, was greeted with calls of “terrorist” and “go away” when he emerged from the polling station. Ennahda is expected to win the largest share of the vote, but not enough for it to govern without forming a coalition with other parties. The vote will elect an assembly that will draft a new constitution. It will also appoint an interim government and set elections for a president and Parliament.