TUNIS
Head of the European Union observation mission to the Tunisian parliamentary polls Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck said that the ongoing vote is conducted in a "favorable, positive atmosphere."
Speaking to reporters at the Higher Independent Election Commission, Neyts-Uyttebroeck acknowledged some "technical problems" but said such problems can happen in any country in the world.
She noted that the European observers have not noticed any violations, except for the technical problems.
Millions of Tunisians are voting nationwide and overseas to select members for the 217-seat legislature, the first to be formed after the 2011 revolution which toppled longtime autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
The polls are being monitored by nearly 600 foreign observers, including from the Arab League, African Union and European Union.
Observers expect a heated race in the elections among Tunisia's political parties, but most agree that the competition is to be limited to Islamist Ennahda Movement and secular Call of Tunisia.
In 2011, the Islamist Ennahda movement won 41 percent (89 seats) of the country's 217-seat Constituent Assembly.
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