TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian voters flocked to polling stations on Sunday to vote in the first direct presidential election represents another step transition to full democracy after the uprising of 2011, which ended the rule of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Did not announce the official results yet, but shortly after the close of polls appeal Tunisia Party, led by Essebsi he advanced in Sunday's election ahead of at least ten percentage points announced.

It is expected that Essebsi former official in the era of Ben Ali and his opponent Moncef Marzouki at the top contenders comes, but analysts said it was not likely to get any of them to the sounds of preventing a second round of elections in December.

Said Mohsen Marzouk campaign for spacy director in an interview with reporters that Essebsi Advanced according to preliminary results of a large margin for the next rival. He said that there is a high probability that the runoff be held.

A special campaign manager Balmarzuka he will succeed in boarding the run-off election. But he did not give specific data results.

Political parties and observers at polling stations follow the initial screening, which allows them to collect the votes of their parties reaped unofficially.

After more than three years after the end of one-party rule under Ben Ali, Tunisia became the paradigm shift in the region through a new constitution and follow the consensus and avoid the turmoil faced by its neighbors.

Sunday's vote comes in the wake of the general elections were held in October and won the appeal Tunisia party a majority of seats in parliament, defeating the Islamic Renaissance Party, which he had won in the first free elections in 2011.

Said Mona Jabali They cast her ballot in Sakra district of the capital Tunis "It's another special day in the history of Tunisia .. We are now the only country in the Arab world that does not know who will become its president until after the vote."

And facing the new government of Tunisia tough choices as they ask lenders to implement tough reforms in public spending to boost growth and create jobs.

At the same time, the government launched a crackdown on Islamic militants linked to al Qaeda and the armed forces who attacked and killed two of the secular opposition leaders in the past year.

Tunisia was the first country toppled ruler sitting on the seat of power for a long time, which authorized the birth of what is known as the Arab Spring, who joined the archetype Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria, which is now experiencing a war.

Offers Essebsi (87 years) former President of the Parliament himself as a seasoned state need Tunisia while Marzouki warned that the rise of figures from the era of one-party would be a setback after the uprising in 2011.

And about 200 people gathered to protest the Marzouki and chanted slogans demanding he leave in the coastal city of Sousse, which directs them to vote. A Reuters photographer at the scene said police had arrested several people.

And became the compatibility between secularists and Islamists contenders political success of Tunisia logo where Islamists follow a more flexible approach to allow former officials in the regime of Ben Ali to return to the political arena.

But the rise of former ministers and members of the Constitutional Democratic Rally party, which was the son of the names belonged to him worrying critics say that the return will be a setback for the uprising against one-party rule and rampant corruption.

He says Essebsi and other former officials of the Ben Ali regime they did not Atltjua corruption and abuses of the former regime. And are asking themselves as experts with skills the country needs now.

Will be the formation of a new government headed by an appeal Tunisia party after the presidential election. But superiority narrowly on the Renaissance Party in Parliament means making tough negotiations after the election on the formation of the new government.