Tunisia set for first poll under new constitution

Tunisia Sunday is set to elect its first full parliament under a new constitution passed earlier this year.

The election is the final stage of the political transition, which followed the ousting of authoritarian leader, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, BBC reported.

More than 50,000 security personnel and nearly 20,000 soldiers are expected to be deployed to ensure safe voting.

Around five million Tunisians have registered to vote, with overseas residents having already cast their votes Friday.

There are no opinion poll, but the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, which won Tunisia's last national election in 2011, is expected to do well.

Its main rival is likely to be the liberal party, Nidaa Tounes.

Most of the major parties have vowed to tackle Tunisia's high unemployment rate and reinvigorate its economy.

Tunisia is seen as the birthplace of the "Arab Spring" -- the pro-democracy movement, which sought to replace autocratic governments in several Arab countries.

Tunisia is considered to have had the most successful outcome, with relatively low levels of violence.

However, radical groups within Tunisia have threatened to disrupt the election and militants Thursday shot a policeman on the outskirts of the capital, Tunis.