Does the Tunisian army maintain its Arab exception?

Tunisia -

After the Tunisian army surrounded the parliament building and prevented its president, Rashid Ghannouchi, from entering, in implementation of President Kais Saied's decisions to suspend work in it, there were apprehensive voices about the consequences of involving the military institution in the heat of political battles, which for decades maintained its neutrality.

Many agree that the Tunisian army remained the only exception among the Arab armies thirsty for power, which crushed under their feet the dreams of their peoples to be liberated from dictatorship and tyranny, as happened in Egypt and Syria.

The scene of the Tunisian army descending into the streets during the revolution (2011), to protect the people and sovereign institutions, is still firmly rooted in the minds of Tunisians.

In return for the military leadership's refusal to take over power, it secured the path of democratic transition that led to presidential and legislative elections.

As of Monday noon, the military establishment had not issued a statement regarding its position on what is happening in the vicinity of Parliament, or about the decisions taken by President Saeed.

republican army

The retired general and former Director General of Military Security and Intelligence Ahmed Shabir - in a statement to Al Jazeera Net - believes that the army operates within the framework of the law and within the applicable state arrangements, and that its loyalty is to the homeland and not to people.

According to Shabbir, the Tunisian army will not get involved in the quagmire of politics and power struggles, and it will continue to preserve its republican faith, and it has nothing to do with describing what is happening, whether it is a "coup or correcting the course of a revolution."

He added, "The Tunisian army is the protector of institutions, not people, and it is a doctrine that has been implanted in it since its emergence. Today, we are facing a republican decision to freeze parliament's work, regardless of its constitutional and legal relevance."

One of the soldiers had responded to Parliament Speaker Rashid Ghannouchi's call and his deputy, Samira Chaouachi, to open the doors of the closed parliament, saying that they are "militaries who implement instructions," and that "the army swore to defend the homeland."

At the conclusion of his speech, the retired general stressed the need to put an end to the absurdity of politicians, "which has brought the Tunisian state to an unprecedented stage of weakness, weakness and tampering with its institutions and image at home and abroad," as he put it.

The law regulating public authorities in Tunisia sets the powers of the President of the Republic as the supreme commander of the military armed forces.

Previous calls by party leaders for the president to take down the army and end what was described as the state of tampering in Parliament have been repeated.

Tunisian security forces prevent Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi from entering (French)

The position of the Ministry of Defense

For his part, the head of the Committee for the Organization of Administration and Affairs of the Arms-Carrying Forces in Parliament, Yousry Al-Dali - confirmed to Al-Jazeera Net - that he, accompanied by deputies from the Ennahda movement, went to the Ministry of Defense, with the aim of clarifying the position of the Minister of Defense and senior army leaders from closing Parliament, but they were prevented from entering.

Al-Dali said that what happened was a "planned coup", denouncing the gathering of powers in the hands of the President of the Republic.

He pointed out that parliamentarians are engaged in a field movement at home, and diplomatically abroad, with the forces that believe in democracy.

Security personnel during demonstrations in Tunisia

"The army will stand by the legitimacy and the constitution and protect democracy," political analyst Habib Bouajila expected.

On the other hand, he considered that preventing the Speaker of Parliament from entering the legislative institution "would shake the bright image of Tunisia and its democracy, which is the only remaining exception in the Arab world."

Bouajila told Al Jazeera Net that the great rejection and condemnation expressed by parties from the democratic forces for what happened, and describing it as a "coup against the constitution" would push the army to take a more positive stance.

He added, "Our main demand is that the Tunisian army remain as we have been accustomed to, maintaining its neutrality, abstaining from power and abstaining from political quarrels."

Statements of condemnation and denunciation from Tunisian parties in government and the opposition, with their various political and ideological stripes, denouncing the measures taken by the president, such as the Labor Party, the Republican Party, the Democratic Current, and other parties.