Chanceries urge Tunisia to avoid "violence"

The Speaker of Parliament and leader of Ennahdha Rached Ghannouchi addresses his supporters on February 27, 2021. REUTERS - ZOUBEIR SOUISSI

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En Tunisie, 36 heures après du limogeage de son Premier ministre et de la suspension du Parlement, le président Kaïs Saïed a annoncé lundi 26 juillet le limogeage du ministre de la Défense. La démarche présidentielle reçoit des soutiens appuyés dans la classe politique. Ennahdha dénonce toujours de son côté « un coup d'État » et la communauté internationale s'inquiète d'une possible dérive autoritaire.

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Avec notre correspondante à Tunis,Lilia Blaise

Après les scènes de liesses dans les rues du pays dimanche soir, de nombreux poids lourds de la politique tunisienne ont apporté leur soutien à la démarche présidentielle ce lundi.

In the evening, the now ex-Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, supported by the majority party in Parliament Ennahdha, declared: “

I pledge to ensure the peaceful transfer of power as required by the customs of political life in Tunisia.

"

The constitutional legitimacy of the measures taken questioned

But today, after having dismissed three ministers (Interior, Justice and Defense), Kaïs Saïed must face questions about the constitutional legitimacy of his decisions even if he declared that he was not a putschist and that the dialogue continues after having met social partners and civil society on Tuesday. He must also name a successor to Hichem Mechichi and also ensure that the country does not flare up in the face of this change of power and the exceptional measures that it must promulgate. Article 80 of the Constitution does not say anything about the limit of these measures but it stipulates that the president should have consulted with the head of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi and that of the government. The first, also leader of the Islamo-conservative Ennahdha party,denies having been warned and still wanted until Tuesday evening to hold meeting as usual.

The country's main union, the General Union of Tunisian Workers, for its part supported these measures while asking Kaïs Saïed for constitutional guarantees.

One of the majority coalition parties in Parliament, yet opposed to the incumbent president, Tahya Tounes, declared to side with the demands of the Tunisian people, calling again for respect for democratic gains.

Finally, if the Ennahdha party disputes the measures of Kaïs Saïed and that

clashes take place

between its supporters and the defenders of the measures of the Head of State, on the whole, the militants of the Islamist party have rather remained discreet since the announcements. presidential elections, even though they have won all the legislative elections since 2011. How to explain this weak popular support? “

In 2011, Ennahdha won with 1.5 million votes, in 2014 with 1 million, in 2019 with 0.5 million votes. So over nine years, she lost two-thirds of her electorate. And there, since 2019, she has lost the rest. For what reasons

?

Because she has not carried out any project for Tunisia, none.

It has neither solved unemployment problems nor revived economic growth.

So there is a very strong resentment of Tunisians against Ennahdha

”, analysis Tunisian sociologist Mohammed Kerrou.

The concerned international community

Les réactions internationales se sont multipliées dans la journée. Anthony Blinken, le secrétaire d'État américain a appelé Kaïs Saïed pour « l'exhorter à respecter la démocratie ». Le chef de la diplomatie américaine l'a appelé à « maintenir un dialogue ouvert avec tous les acteurs politiques et le peuple tunisien ». Antony Blinken a également promis le soutien américain à l'économie tunisienne et à la lutte contre le Covid-19, un élément clé dans les manifestations qui ont éclaté dans le pays et conduit le chef de l'État à suspendre les travaux du Parlement.

Earlier, Washington had called on " 

all parties

 " involved in the political crisis in Tunisia to " 

avoid any action that could (...) lead to violence

 ", so as not to " 

squander 

" the fragile progress of the very young democracy. , according to a State Department statement. The State Department said it was "

 particularly troubled 

" with regard to the media situation in Tunisia, after the closure without explanation or legal basis of the office of the Qatari channel Al-Jazeera in Tunis. Even before Monday, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki called for respect for "

 democratic principles. 

" in the country.

But she had not commented on a possible qualification of " 

coup

 ".

In France, the spokesperson for Foreign Affairs called on "

 all political forces to avoid any form of violence and to preserve democratic gains

 ".

France " 

wants respect for the rule of law and the return, as soon as possible, to normal functioning of institutions, which must be able to concentrate on responding to the health, economic and social crisis

 ".

The European Union called for “ 

respect for the Constitution, institutions and the rule of law 

” and “to 

avoid recourse to violence

 ”.

In Germany, the Foreign Ministry said it was " 

very worried

 ".

 It is now important to return to constitutional order as quickly as possible.

 The events " 

constitute a great challenge for Tunisia 

" and demonstrate "

 the urgency to tackle political and economic reforms now

 ".

In Russia, the Kremlin spokesman hoped that “ 

nothing will threaten the stability and security of citizens

 ”.

Finally, still in the same vein, the UN recommended all parties in Tunisia to show restraint, to refrain from all violence and to guarantee calm.

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