Tunisia steps up security measures ahead of Sunday elections

More than 20,000 policemen and 22, 000 army personnel will be deployed at the country's 4,500 polling stations, as part of the security measures taken before the elections of the Constituent Assembly on Sunday, the state-run press agency TAP reported on Saturday. Two to 10 security personnel will be attached to each of the polling stations and joint police and army forces will patrol the area where voting is taking place, a spokesman for the interior ministry said on Saturday. The closing of the electoral campaign was officially declared on Friday. Nearly five million voters will elect a 217-member Constituent Assembly in the North African country's first election after former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted by protesters in January. More than 100 parties and a great number of independents are running for the elections. The elected assembly will be tasked with drafting a new constitution and running the country for at least twelve months. Tunisians abroad have also started voting in great numbers since Thursday, in the six electoral constituencies set up in Europe, America and in Gulf countries.