Tunisia Election Update: Concern for Christians as Islamist Group Claims Victory?
The official results from Tunisia’s landmark first democratic elections have been delayed until later today, but Ennahda, a “moderate” Islamist group has already claimed victory.
The once-banned Islamist group has claimed that it took 40 percent of the vote and has begun coalition talks with the other leading parties, the Congress for the Republic Party (CRP) and Ettakatol; both of which represent Tunisia’s traditionally secular views.
Suad Abdul-Rahim, a female party candidate told Euro News, “We’ll work together, Tunisia is for all Tunisians, even if we are the majority party we do not want to be alone, this is democracy. “
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CRP leader Moncef Marzouki told Euro News, “The results (of the election) are encouraging and it's made it clear that Tunisian people are mature because they didn’t cast their votes in the way we have been fearing.”
Marzouki added, “In the end it will be three or four parties that will share the assembly making it a unity government.”
The delay in election results comes after around 90 percent of voters turned out for the historic election.
Although elections went through without any violence or issues, some fear that Ennahda’s gains may mean a loss for both Christians and women in the country.
Tunisia currently has a Christian population of around 24,000; comprising about 0.2 percent of the population.
Dr. Raouf Ghattas, who spent four years in Tunisia with International Mission Board, has said that although Ennahda is regarded as moderate, its links to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt are a cause for concern.
According to Christian Today Ghattas said, “As we watch the results of the elections in Tunisia, our hearts are burdened for the believers there as the Islamists are making great gains."
He added, “The Ennahda Party, even though the media calls it a moderate Islamic party, is well attached to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. There could be difficult days ahead.”
Many women in Tunisia have also expressed concern over the group gaining political power.
Tunisia has traditionally been the one of the most liberal counties in the Arab world and with an Islamist party potentially having substantial political power, fear is gaining traction that women’s rights may suffer as a consequence.
Libya’s constitution will be rewritten by the new political leaders and concerns exist that the new constitution may not guarantee the rights of women the same way the old constitution did.
Ennahda’s leader, Rachid Gannouchi, who returned to Tunis from exile in the United Kingdom, has been promising that the country would maintain its strong secular tradition.
However, not everyone is convinced and many fear that Gannouchi’s comments are merely pre-election promises that will not come to fruition when the party takes power.
