Meet the first-ever female mayor of Tunisia's capital

Souad Abderrahim, a 53-year-old pharmaceutical company manager has made history by becoming the first woman mayor of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.

She defeated Kamel Idir, a candidate of the Nidaa Tounes party founded by Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, after she gaining  26 votes while her closest opponent received 22 votes in a Tuesday's election between municipal councilors.

    

Abderrahim who first won 33.8 percent of votes during municipal elections in early May, had to gather the support of municipal councilors and she was able to receive backing from 26 councilors from Islamist Ennahda party, a moderate Muslim party that advocates for separating religion and politics.

On making history, Abderrahim said: “We have chosen transparency as a slogan.” 

“We want to give the Tunisian woman her rights, the woman whose progressive image we’re always trying to sell. We’re always saying that the Tunisian woman is able to take on any job and that the Tunisian woman is an activist and is on the front lines.

“I consider this a source of pride for the Tunisian woman,” she added. “To become the first female sheikh of Tunis can only be recorded as Tunisia making history on this front.”