Tunisians vote in 1st municipal polls since uprising
The local polls are the first since the 2011 revolution
A Tunisian casts his vote at a polling station during Tunisian local elections, which was held first time after 2011 Arab Spring revolution, in Bizarte, Tunisia on May 06, 2018. ( Nacer Talel - Anadolu Agency )
Tunisia
By Adel al-Thabeti
TUNIS
Tunisians began on Sunday to vote in the country’s first local election since a popular uprising ousted autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.
Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) across the North African country.
"We vote to improve municipal services,” Mahmoud Balti, a Tunisian voter, told Anadolu Agency as he cast his ballot in the capital Tunis.
"I came early [to cast ballot] due to the importance of the municipal councils,” he said.
“The local polls are more important than the legislative and presidential elections because they focus on local governance,” Jamal Abdul Nasser, another voter, told Anadolu Agency.
More than 50,000 candidates are vying for seats in the local polls.
Some 5,369,000 Tunisians are eligible to cast ballots in the vote, according to the electoral commission.
