New Ennahda Secretary-General: Tunisia is experiencing a real setback

Al-Warimi: Arrests and prosecutions have harmed various components of the opposition in the country and its emerging democracy (Al-Jazeera)

TUNIS – Tunisia is experiencing a "real setback" due to deteriorating economic, financial and social conditions and the marginalization of political parties and civil society organisations, Ennahda Secretary-General Ajmi Ouarimi said, two and a half years after President Kais Saied announced his exceptional measures and ruled the country with broad powers.

Al-Warimi stressed, in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Net, that the Ennahda movement will continue – as part of the opposition against the president – its peaceful movements to demand the release of arrested politicians and the restoration of democracy, considering the arrests that affected the movement and other opposition parties "political targeting to cover up the failure to manage the country."

The following is the text of the interview:

Demonstration in Tunis demanding the release of detained politicians (Al Jazeera)

• With what taste is Ennahda (part of the opposition) celebrating the 13th anniversary of the Tunisian revolution?

There is a real setback, but the revolutionary momentum, in my opinion, is still continuing because there is a commitment to achieving the goals of the revolution, and this requires national unity without exclusion. The revolution against tyranny and exclusivity of governance and exclusion took place, and Tunisia entered the stage of democratic construction and political modernity with the participation of all.

But what happened on July 25, 2021 (the date of President Kais Saied's announcement of the exceptional measures) led the country on the wrong path, and the president could have chosen other solutions, but he chose to violate the constitution and overthrow legitimacy, and today we see the results of all this through the deepening of the crisis and its transformation into a major impasse and a deep blockage.

• Where are the economic and social conditions in Tunisia going under President Kais Saied?

There is no doubt that there is an unprecedented economic, financial and social crisis, and getting out of it is not easy, and no one is able to fix the situation alone, no matter how much authorities he collects, and therefore a collective national effort is necessary, relying on our own resources and investing all available opportunities with friends and partners to get the country out of the crisis.

• But supporters of President Saied blame Ennahda for the deterioration of the situation on Ennahda and its presence in power over the past decade. How do you view that?

Success is relative and failure is relative, and the previous phase was managed in Tunisia in a participatory manner. Thus, no one could be held responsible, and we could have addressed the country's political and economic crisis by changing the electoral law, amending the constitution, or through a national dialogue to identify priorities and necessary reforms. Today, has the situation improved? President Kais Saied has been ruling the country for about two and a half years with all the broad powers and powers, but the situation is deteriorating.

• How do you see the fate and future of multi-partyism, public freedoms and democracy in Tunisia?

In fact, there is a setback due to the marginalization of political parties, the rejection of intermediary bodies, and the lack of awareness of the importance of the role of political parties and civil society organizations and their contribution to democratic construction. This populist experience that Tunisia is currently experiencing is just an experience that the country is going through and will overcome it after learning the lesson.

• What are the implications of the arrest campaign that included the Ennahda leader and the movement's leaders from the front lines?

This is a political targeting aimed at reducing the influence and presence of Ennahda as a political party, and this targeting, which included the various components of the opposition, has harmed the country and its nascent democracy.

• Why were the arrested politicians not released? What does it mean to continue to imprison them for nearly a year without trial?

All of this is part of covering up the failure to manage the state and manage the difficult crisis in which the country is floundering.

• Is Ennahda considering participating in the presidential elections before the end of 2024?

In fact, Ennahda does not have a priority to run for the presidential elections, and it has not decided whether it will have a candidate from within it, and I really rule that out. There may be a consensus candidate, but this is premature at the moment, as we do not even know which figures have the intention to run and what their programs and visions are.

• What moves are you considering implementing as part of the opposition to defend your survival in the political scene, especially since your party is prohibited from holding any activity and its leadership is imprisoned?

Without a doubt, we will continue our peaceful struggle to demand the release of political prisoners, restore the democratic process and contribute to getting the country out of its crisis.

• You have expressed your intention to change the name of the Ennahda Movement. What are the reasons for this? And what is its purpose?

The idea of changing the name of the movement is not new, as it was previously raised at the movement's conference. The name has a connotation and has to do with the political identity of any political party. If the requirements of the next stage require changing the name, this is not taboo, and its purpose is to open up to other components in society, and to search for commonalities with them.

• Some say you want to change your skin without making reviews or self-criticism?

We will not change our skin and we will make revisions.

• Did you abandon the convening of the Ennahda conference because of the presence of its symbols in prisons, or will you work to hold it with those who attended?

The movement was preparing to organize its eleventh congress with new political contents, but this was not possible due to the Corona pandemic crisis, then the coup against the constitution on July 25, 2021, and the wave of arrests that affected the movement's leaders. Once the conditions are met, we are ready to hold the conference, and the contents and regulations of the conference are ready.

Source : Al Jazeera