Tunisians voted on Sunday in a parliamentary elections that was one of the last steps in the North African country's transition to democracy after the 2011 uprising against Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.
By voting for Nidaa Tounes, Tunisians appeared to prefer the country's long-established elites over Ennahda, with some hoping for a return of what was a more orderly time before the revolution.
Ennahda, the first Islamist movement to secure power after the "Arab Spring" revolts, conceded defeat in the election that was only the second free vote since Ben Ali's autocratic rule ended.
Since Nidaa Tounes fell short of a majority, it would need the support of other parties to form a government.
Al Jazeera's Nazanine Moshiri, reporting from Tunis, said that talks between Nidaa Tounes and other parties for formation of a coalition government have already begun.
"With these numbers, Nidaa Tounes doesn't need Ennahda to make a majority and form a government. It can go ahead with smaller parties which may be more ideologically closer to it, placing Ennahda in opposition for the next four years,' she said.