Rached Ghannouchi wrote that after the president decided to suspend parliament in July, democracy in Tunisia needs the support of the European Union and other international allies.
Rached Ghannouchi is the Speaker of the Tunisian Parliament and the moderate leader of the Islamic Baath Party.
President Keith Said’s announcement of the adjournment of the parliament, the removal of the Prime Minister and the takeover of the National Prosecutor’s Office on July 25 is simply unconstitutional.
So far, Tunisia’s path to democracy has not been smooth sailing—regional instability, weak domestic and partner growth, terrorism, the death of the current president, and a global pandemic have caused major economic difficulties.
Any young democracy is fragile, especially Tunisia, whose economic prosperity and opportunities do not match the political achievements of the past decade, leading to public anger and disappointment. However, we cannot allow the country to try to use the power of these challenges to lead to the return of authoritarianism. The closure of media offices, the arrest of members of parliament and bloggers, and arbitrary restrictions on freedom of movement and speech are all alarming signs of the retreat of the dictatorship that Tunisians opposed a decade ago. We recognize that the country has been suffering from a series of complex political, economic and health crises. However, the measures taken by the President are not a solution. On the contrary, they may deepen the problem, further destabilize the country, and exacerbate the challenges faced by turbulent regions.
The European Union has called on parliament to resume work and demanded respect for the Constitution and the rule of law. The EU is also one of our closest supporters in providing financial assistance before and after the COVID-19 crisis. However, at a critical moment when our democracy is facing serious risks, our country needs more support.
Tunisia needs a political solution based on dialogue. Tunisia’s democratic transition previously avoided collapse through dialogue. The political crisis in 2013 was overcome through a national dialogue, and the organizers of the dialogue won the Nobel Peace Prize. We have repeatedly expressed our willingness to engage in unconditional and inclusive dialogue, and we are ready to make all compromises to save our democracy. So far, the president has not responded to the call for dialogue, but we hope that wisdom will eventually prevail. The purpose of this dialogue is to reach an agreement on the way out of the crisis, which should include ending the parliamentary recess, the president’s nomination of the prime minister and the government, and agreeing on the economic and political reforms that the country needs. The future government should work hard. To establish a legal government, the parliament should be re-convened to vote on the new cabinet. Such an outcome will end Tunisia’s illegal and unconstitutional country and restore democratic order and respect the Constitution.
Tunisia is the birthplace of the Arab Spring that spans the entire region, and today remains a beacon of hope for those of us who wish to consolidate freedom, democracy and progress in the Maghreb and the Arab region. Now is the time to make sure that this flame will not go out.
