Ennahda Movement wins local polls in Tunisia: State TV

By Enes Canli

TUNIS (AA) - The Ennahda Movement won the local elections after getting 27.5 percent of votes, according to state-run broadcaster on Sunday.

The voting process ended at 6.00 p.m. (1700GMT) with low turnout.

According to the unofficial results, Nidaa Tounes party, the second largest political party with 55 deputies in the parliament, ranked second in the elections with 22.5 percent of the votes.

The High Election Commission announced three hours before the end of the voting process that turnout of the elections was just 21 percent.

It said 1,089,360 out of 5,369,000 registered voters had cast their votes by 3 p.m. (1400GMT).

A total of 179 polling stations across the country were closed due to "security" in accordance with the advice of the commission.

Official results are expected to be announced by May 9.

Local elections are seen as the next step in the democratic transition process in the country following the popular uprising that ousted the long time autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011.

According to figures released by the election body, there are 2,747 candidates, including 860 independents, from 55 political parties running in the local elections.