Ennahdha party official and former youth and sports minister Ahmed Gaaloul said that Tunisian democrats need more support from the European Union and European countries, because the North African country faces a presidential decree for a multi-month government term. .
The Baath Party is a moderate Islamist party and the largest caucus in the Tunisian parliament. In July, President Keith Said announced that he would fire Prime Minister Hichem Mečić, suspend parliament and pass a decree to govern, which caught them off guard. .
Last week, President Said announced a suspension for the second month. Ennahdha and many other political parties called the move unconstitutional and a coup.
“Tunisia is a model of democracy in the region,” Gaaloul told EURACTIV in an interview, adding that defending it “is in the interests of the EU and the entire region. Europe and the EU have a responsibility to defend human rights and democracy”.
“We need people who defend democracy to support our cause with a firmer attitude. Then we will feel that we are not alone. We don’t want the plane of democracy to leave our country,” Gaaloul added.
Former European Commission President Romano Prodi warned that “the consequences of turning to autocracy will extend beyond Tunisia’s borders. We Europeans are losing political influence on the southern coast of the Mediterranean.”
President Said refuted his claim of inciting a coup, pointing out that Article 80 of the post-revolutionary constitution mentioned “imminent danger”, in which case he could rule by decree.
Said argued that the existing government agencies “posed a constant threat to the country, and the parliament itself is a threat to the country”, and he will govern according to the wishes of the people.
The President rejected any call for a road map to get rid of the crisis, as well as dialogue with domestic politicians or the international community. “This country seems to be heading towards a complete closure,” Gaaloul said.
However, for now, Said seems to be riding a wave of public support, and his personal popularity has risen sharply.
“People want to give President Said a chance,” Gaaloul said. “But if you want to govern, please do it in a democratic way.”
Ten years ago, after anti-government protests to overthrow the Zine El Abidine Ben Ali regime, prompting the country’s democratic transition and the beginning of the Arab Spring, a series of weak governments and rigid economies made millions of Tunisians keen to accept strong leadership
However, if there is no agreement with the parliament, Said will not be able to adopt and implement the budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year. So far, he has insisted that he is not interested in the new IMF support package, which many analysts believe is necessary to support Tunisia’s economy.
“We believe that what is happening is a national crisis,” Gaaloul said.
This made Ennahdha and other parties rejected by President Said and faced a waiting game, although they were prepared to provide some cooperation to Said and were willing to vote for the new prime minister when Said proposed a candidate.
“It is important to accept that public opinion is looking for someone to govern. But he is now facing very high expectations and very low delivery capabilities. We expect his popularity to drop significantly in the next few months,” Gaaloul Added.
At the same time, Ennahdha stated that it would work with other political parties and civil society to hold the president accountable, but Gaaloul admitted that they were “progressing slowly.”There is no sign of a new election
Gaaloul is worried that the long-term rule of the presidential decree will continue, and the prospect of oppressive measures will limit the rights of citizens. He told EURACTIV that the president ordered thousands of people not to travel or be placed under house arrest.
Last week, the office of the National Anti-Corruption Agency (INLUCC) was raided and the national organization closed. Its secretary-general, Anuar bin Hassan, was removed from office.
The EU institutions remain largely silent on the political situation in Tunisia.
The EU’s chief diplomat and high representative Josep Borrell stated that “it is necessary to maintain a commitment to democracy, respect the rule of law, the constitution and the legislative framework, and at the same time be consistent with the aspirations and aspirations of the Tunisian people.”
Borel also called for “resumption of parliamentary activities, respect for fundamental rights and avoid all forms of violence.”
[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]
