Islamist Party Ennahda Confirmed Winner Of Tunisian Elections

Ennahda supporters celebrate outside the group's headquarters in Tunis on October 25.

Tunisia's election authority has confirmed that the moderate Islamist party Ennahda won the most seats in the country's first-ever free elections.

Ennahda won 90 seats in a new 217-seat constituent assembly.

The next biggest party, the leftist Congress of the Republic, won 30 seats, followed by the social-democratic party Ettakatol with 21 seats.

In joint fourth place, the Progressive Democratic Party, historically the biggest opposition party, and Al-Aridha each won 19 seats.

Supporters of Al-Aridha, which had some votes discounted for irregularities, set the mayor's office on fire in protest in the provincial town of Sidi Bouzid.

Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution was the first of the popular revolutions that swept through the Arab world.

The new assembly will write up a new constitution over the next year.

compiled from agency reports