Tunisia sets new date for presidential elections

TUNIS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The new date for the first round of the presidential elections in Tunisia is set for Nov. 17, an election official said Friday.

"Several political parties and civil society activists called for changing the date for the presidential election as it will coincide with the Mouled feast," said Nabil Baffoun, president of the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE).

The Mouled feast is held to celebrate birth of the prophet Muhammad.

The ISIE announced on March 6 that the first round of presidential polls inside Tunisia will take place on Nov. 10 and Nov. 8-10 for Tunisians living abroad.

If no presidential candidate obtains an absolute majority of votes in the first round, a second round will take place two weeks after the announcement of the final results of the first round.