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Tunisia Islamic party takes half of overseas seats

24 October 2011 20:17 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. In the first official results from Tunisia’s landmark elections, a leading Islamist party has taken half the seats reserved for Tunisians living abroad, APA reports.

The strong showing by the Ennahda party overseas is expected to be replicated domestically as vote counting continues Monday. Tunisians voted Sunday for a body to write their new constitution

There are 18 seats in the new 217-member assembly reserved for those living outside the country.

Ennahda took nine of the seats. Four went to the Ettakatol or "forum" party and three to the Congress for the Republic â€” both ideologically center left.

Tunisians overthrew their longtime dictator in January, setting off a wave of pro-democracy uprisings across the Middle East.