Us: Tunisia Elections A "Milestone" İn Transition

Tunisia's weekend elections were a "milestone" in the country's democratic transition, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday.



Noting high turnout in Sunday's poll, Kerry said in a statement that the elections exemplify "why Tunisia remains a beacon of hope, not only to the Tunisian people, but to the region and the world."



"The United States is committed to working with the next democratically elected government of Tunisia that will result from this vote."



The secularist Call of Tunisia party won 84 seats in the 217-member National Assembly, followed by Ennahda with 69 seats, according to The Anadolu Agency's tally. The Free Patriotic Union clinched 17 seats in the assembly, the Popular Front 12 seats and Afek Tounes nine seats.



Millions of Tunisians voted nationwide to elect their country's first parliament since the 2011 revolution that ousted long-time strongman Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.



U.S. President Barack Obama sounded a similar tone as Kerry on Sunday by saying the north African country demonstrated the importance of democratic principles. 



"Tunisia's example reminds us all that dialogue, consensus-building, political pluralism, and peaceful assembly help form the bedrock of democracy," he said in a statement. "In casting their ballots today, Tunisians continued to inspire people across their region and around the world, as they did during Tunisia's 2011 revolution and with the adoption of a new constitution earlier this year."



The polls were held amid tight security, with the government deploying some 80,000 police and army troops to guard polling centers.



Final results have yet to be announced by Tunisia's official electoral commission.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Washington DC