MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

The only question now is will they lead a coalition government, or a majority? …

Update:  They will lead a coalition government.

“Tunis, Tunisia (CNN) — Official results have yet to be published, but preliminary returns appear to show that the once-banned moderate Islamist party Ennahda has won Tunisia’s historic elections, according to several political parties and Tunisian media outlets.

On Tuesday night, victory celebrations erupted outside the modest office building in downtown Tunis where Ennahda is headquartered. A crowd of about a hundred party supporters gathered, singing the national anthem, clapping and chanting.

Tunisians awoke Tuesday to the front page of El Maghreb newspaper, which featured a giant photo of Ennahda leader Rachid Ghanouchi next to a saluting member of the presidential guard, with the caption ‘Ennahda close to the government?’

Meanwhile, the French-language daily Le Temps depicted a presidential throne on a pillar carrying the Ennahda logo, followed by smaller chairs atop two smaller columns labeled with the secular parties Congres pour la Republique (CPR) and Ettakatol.

Boubaker Bethabet, secretary-general of the Independent High Authority for the Election, told reporters at a news conference Tuesday afternoon that preliminary results were available for five districts. Of the 39 seats available in those districts, Ennahda took 15, CPR took six and Ettakatol took four. Those results still must be certified, he said.” Read more.

Tunisia’s Islamist party: A wolf in sheep’s clothing? – “Analysis: Ennahda seeks ‘moderate’ Shari’a state, but members have history of violence, current platform raises questions about role of Islam. Western media routinely describe Tunisia’s Ennahda party as ‘moderately Islamist.’ The once-banned movement’s own past, however, reveals a tendency to violence, and its current platform raises serious questions about the role of Islam in arguably the Arab world’s most secular state.” Read more.