World Bulletin/News Desk

The head of Tunisia's Ennahda Movement, Rashid al-Ghannouchi, said Saturday that he met with interim president Moncef Marzouki in an attempt to persuade him to withdraw an appeal he lodged against the results of the first round of the country's presidential election.

"Before Saturday's national dialogue meeting, I met with Marzouki at the request of the dialogue's four sponsors to convince him to withdraw the appeal he filed against the results of the first round of the polls," Ghannouchi said a statement to the local press.

The four sponsors of the dialogue initiative are the Tunisian General Labor Union; the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights; the Tunisian Industry, Trade and Handicrafts Union; and the National Bar Association.

On Friday, Marzouki lodged an appeal against the results of the first round of the Sunday presidential poll with the country's electoral commission.

The move has led to the postponement of the second-round vote to December 21 or 28, instead of December 14 as initially planned.

The second-round vote will be held on either December 21 or 28, depending on the court verdict, according to Supreme Presidential Election Commission member Nabil Bafoon.

The second round will see Marzouki vie for the highest post against Beji Caid Essebsi, leader of the centrist Nidaa Tounes party, who clinched some 1.9 million votes (39.4 percent) in the first round; while Marzouki, who came in second with about 1.1 million votes (33.4 percent).