Violence in Tunisia as Islamists win elections

Violent protests have erupted in Tunisia after the Islamist Ennahda party was announced as the official winner of last Sunday's democratic elections.

Reuters reported that the violence broke out in the town of Sidi Bouzid, where the Arab Spring uprisings began, with more than 2,000 mostly young people marching on the Ennahda headquarters.

On Thursday night, police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of people in Sidi Bouzid who the BBC says were protesting against the cancellation of seats won by the Popular List party in six electoral districts.

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Authorities say "financial irregularities" meant the party lists had to be invalidated.

The violence comes after a four-day wait for votes to be counted – and despite assurances from Ennahda that it will respect women's rights and not impose a Muslim moral code on society.

Ennahda took 41.47 percent of the vote, which came nine months after the ouster of autocratic leader Zine el Abidine Ben Ali.

The leader of Ennahda, Rachid Ghannouchi, an Islamic scholar, said Tunisia would remain faithful to the ideals of the revolution.

"We will continue this revolution to realize its aims of a Tunisia that is free, independent, developing and prosperous in which the rights of God, the Prophet, women, men, the religious and the non-religious are assured because Tunisia is for everyone."

The election result gives Ennahda 90 seats in Tunisia's 217-member parliament.

Their closest rival, the secularist Congress for the Republic, won 30 seats.