Tunisia's new parliament holds first session

Tunisia's newly-elected parliament held its inaugural session Tuesday with the attendance of its 217 lawmakers who were elected in October.

National Constituent Assembly (NCA) Speaker Mustapha Ben Jaafar gave a farewell speech, and then made way for the oldest member of parliament, Ali Ben Salem, to chair the session in line with tradition, according to Xinhua.

The NCA, the only elected body during the transitional period after the 2001 uprising, was tasked to draft a new constitution for the North African country and it had legislative tasks as well.

Interim President Moncef Marzouki did not show up at the opening session because he was not invited, according to his spokesman Adnen Manser.

However, Ben Jaafar said that "it is only a protocol measure and not a political reason" behind not inviting President Marzouki.

During Tuesday's session, the lawmakers are due to elect a parliament speaker who will chair its sessions.

The Nidaa Tounes Party has the majority in the new parliament with 86 seats, followed by the Islamist Ennahdha party with 69 seats.