MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th December, 2019) Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov received a copy of newly appointed Tunisian Ambassador to Russia Tarek Ben Salem's credentials and discussed with the diplomat the political situation in Tunisia after elections, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
"During the conversation, issues of further development of traditionally friendly Russian-Tunisian relations were discussed. Special attention was paid to the domestic political situation in Tunisia in light of the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections held in the country in October," the ministry said in a statement.
The diplomats also exchanged opinions on the current situation in North Africa and the Sahara-Sahel zone.
In November, the Tunisian Parliament elected the leader of the moderate Islamist Ennahdha party, Rachid Ghannouchi, as its new chairman with 123 votes. In October, the Ennahda party won parliamentary elections, gaining 52 out of 217 seats, while Kais Saied won the presidential election with more than 75 percent of the vote.
The Ennahda movement was banned before Tunisia's 2011 revolution and the collapse of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's government. Following those events, the party was legalized and has since played a significant role in several coalition governments in the country.
