El Kram — Rached Ghannouchi was re-elected as Ennahdha movement chief with 72.58% of votes at the end of the party's 9th Congress.

He actually won 744 votes out of a total 1025 votes cast and he will lead the part until an extraordinary congress in 2014. After the announcement of the results, Rached Ghannouchi addressed the congress participants to reaffirm his determination to endeavour "to disseminate a culture of consensus and moderation which are necessary at this stage in the country's history."

"I have agreed to run again for this post after some brothers and friends requested me to do so and keep on leading the party which still needs it, " he said, hinting at his decision announced in 1989 not to stand for the presidency of the movement.

Government efforts must now focus on security and services to underprivileged areas residents in order to secure them jobs and a decent life, Ghannouchi declared.

In this context, the General Motion of the Congress affirmed the need to establish the bases of "a civilian state deep-rooted in its Arab-Moslem identity," to break up with dictatorship and criminalise violation of sacred values.

Ennahda also reckons that the parliamentary regime is the closest political system to the Tunisian people's expectations, urging the Constituent Assembly to support it.

Reviewing the party's political programme, the final declaration of the Congress affirmed the need to enforce general amnesty, start a comprehensive reform of education, including education at Zeitouna University, and secure the freedom of expression and information.

As to foreign relations, Ennahda affirmed support to the building-up of the Arab Maghreb and the Arab and Moslem unity while calling for "criminalising normalization with the zionist entity."