Tunisia: crossfire against Rached Ghannouchi

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The positions of Rached Ghannouchi, the head of the Tunisian Parliament, are once again angering the country. 

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The congratulations of Rached Ghannouchi addressed last Tuesday to Fayez al Sarraj, the Prime Minister of Libya, are disturbing. It was during a phone call following the takeover of al-Witya's strategic base in western Libya, which had previously been in the hands of Khalifa Haftar's forces . Several political parties in the Parliament consider these statements to be in contradiction with the official Tunisian position, which imposes neutrality vis-à-vis Libya.

Pressure on Rached Ghannouchi is increasing, not just from Parliament

This Thursday, at the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP), seven political parties in Tunis, including the Workers Party and the Socialist Party, find the attitude of the President of Ennahdha inadequate with his office at the head of Parliament. They denounce "  a way to go beyond the institutions of the State, to involve them in the Libyan conflict alongside the Muslim Brotherhood  " and accuse Rached Ghannouchi of privileging "the interest of the Muslim Brotherhood over that of Tunisia".

Four other parties, including two participating in the government coalition, Qalb Tounes and Tahya Tounes, are calling for a dialogue session on parliamentary diplomacy. "  The problem is to involve the Parliament in political positions, some of which would not agree with Tunisian diplomacy  ," said Mostapha ben Ahmed, leader of parliamentarians from the Tahya Tounes party.

As for Abir Moussi, who chairs the parliamentarians of the Dostorian party, she accuses President Rached Ghannouchi of "  maintaining unofficial relations with the foreign parties and of having a secret agenda  ". " Obscure  " acts  , according to her, which push her to ask for the dismissal of the president. She was joined by two other Tunisian left parties, the Democratic Movement and the People's Movement.

Rached Ghannouchi accused of endangering national security

Earlier this year, calls for withdrawing confidence from Rached Ghannouchi increased after his visit to Turkey in January and his meeting behind closed doors with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. His participation last March in an international conference organized by Qatar with the Muslim Brotherhood has increased the pressure, and he is now accused of endangering Tunisian national security by taking up positions.

Rached Ghannouchi is also faced with a popular campaign which calls for his hearing on the origin of an alleged fortune. The petition that has been circulating for a week has collected thousands of signatures. 

The sling is also within the Ennahdha party , where calls for resignation are heard. Several senior officials have resigned in recent months, denouncing his way of handling the movement.

Faced with these pressures, Ghannouchi's relatives denounce a campaign orchestrated and financed by foreigners.

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