Tunisia Islamist Party Proposes Its No. 2 to Lead Govt.

Tunisia's Islamist Ennahda party, leading the vote count after historic polls, has put forward its number two as the next head of government, an executive party member told Agence France Presse on Wednesday.

"Ennahda has informed its partners of its intentions to present the candidacy of Hamadi Jebali (Ennahda's secretary general) for prime minister," party member Nourredine Bhiri said of ongoing coalition talks.

The 62-year-old, an engineer by training and a former journalist, is one of Ennahda's co-founders. A vehement opponent of ousted dictator Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, he spent 16 years in jail, 10 in isolation, for his political activism.

Jebali is said to represent the moderate face of Ennahda, whose leader Rached Ghannouchi has previously stated he would not seek a government role and was not an election candidate.

With the final tally of Sunday's election yet to be announced, Ennahda was leading the race for seats on a new 217-member assembly that will rewrite the constitution and appoint a caretaker government.

However it did not appear headed for an absolute majority.

The party earlier vowed to form a new government within a month and said coalition talks had started.

The assembly will rewrite the constitution, appoint a caretaker government and prepare for fresh elections.