Tunisia Election Body Says Expat Turnout 'İmportant'

Tunisia's election monitoring body on Saturday referred to the presence of difficulties in relation to the voting of Tunisians abroad, but it described voter turnout as "important."



"Voter turnout was important, even as there were difficulties," Fawzia Idriss, a member of Tunisia's Independent High Authority for Elections, said in a press conference at the premises of the authority in Tunis.



She said some voters could not find their names in voter rolls when they went to Tunisian embassies and consulates to cast ballots in their country's parliamentary elections.



Even with this, 10,985 Tunisians cast ballots in northern France, 10,242 cast ballots in southern France, 3,805 in the U.S. and Europe and 6,651 in other countries, Idriss said.



Tunisians living abroad have started casting ballots in their country's parliamentary elections since Thursday to select 18 candidates. Tunisian expatriates are allocated 18 seats in the 217-seat legislature, the first to be formed after the 2011 revolution. Ten of these 18 seats are allocated for Tunisians living in France.



Tunisians are expected to cast ballots in the elections inside Tunisia on Sunday. Around 5.2 million Tunisians, including 360,000 living outside the country, have the right to vote in the elections, according to the Independent High Authority for Elections.



By Yousri Wannas



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Tunis