Smooth Transition in Tunisia After Caid Essebsi, Snap Elections Set
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UK £2 Issue 216, Year 5 July 28, 2019 EU €2.50 www.thearabweekly.com Smooth transition in Tunisia after Caid Essebsi, snap elections set “You left us on the day of the 62nd anniversary ever as our leader, our model and sian politics after the introduction founded in 2012 as a counterweight ► example.” of electoral law amendments that to Islamists. Nidaa Tounes has split of the republic, a republic you had spent your life Algerian, Libyan and Palestin- would have deprived a number of into at least two factions, one led serving and in the protection of its advances and ian leaders spoke at the ceremo- candidates, notably media mogul by the late president’s son Hafedh values,” Interim President Mohamed Ennaceur ny. There were also tributes from Nabil Karoui, of the right to run for Caid Essebsi. Part of the Nidaa French, Portuguese, Spanish and elections. Tounes constituency has joined said in his eulogy. Maltese officials. Opinion polls indicated Karoui Tahya Tounes, formed in January French President Emmanuel Ma- and his Qalb Tounes party were by Chahed’s supporters. Lamine Ghanmi the date of the presidential vote for cron expressed “admiration for the ahead of other candidates in favour- Caid Essebsi was widely seen as September 15. Before Caid Essebsi’s calm and the peaceful atmosphere ability ratings. Islamist candidates a unifying figure in a fractured po- death, the election had been set in Tunisia” amid its transition. received a little less than 20% of po- litical landscape with more than Tunis for November. The parliamentary Algerian Interim President Ab- tential voter support in the face of 130 political parties. He personally election is expected to take place as delkader Bensalah remembered a surging Free Destourian Party, an sided with a secular version of the he death of Tunisian Presi- scheduled October 6. Caid Essebsi as “backer of Algeria’s anti-Islamist formation. state with a strong emphasis on the dent Beji Caid Essebsi has After ceremonies at Carthage independence struggle and for his Caid Essebsi refused to ratify the rights of women. He also advocated united Tunisians in their Palace where Ennaceur and foreign efforts to strengthen the bilateral amendments, which were backed for democracy while preserving the T grief for the passing of leaders paid tribute to Caid Essebsi, ties between Algeria and Tunisia af- by supporters of Tunisian Prime authority of the state. Tunisia's first democratically elect- a funeral procession crossed the ter the independence.” Minister Youssef Chahed and the Despite the relatively steady pro- ed leader. streets of Tunis to Jellaz Cemetery Thousands of Tunisians, many Islamist Ennahda Movement. It gress of its democratic transition, Since Caid Essebsi’s death July where Caid Essebsi was buried. weeping, lined the streets along was not clear whether Ennaceur, as Tunisia faces continuing socio-eco- 25 at the age of 92, many Tunisians The most emotional moment of the 20km route from Carthage Pal- interim president, will adopt Caid nomic challenges of slow economic have been reassured by the smooth the ceremony at Carthage Palace ace to the cemetery in Tunis to bid Essebsi’s stance on the amend- growth, high unemployment, high and calm succession in the coun- came when Ennaceur choked up Caid Essebsi farewell. Across the ments. debt and low investment. try’s leadership in full compliance while recalling Caid Essebsi’s role as country, Tunisians watched the live Rare manifestations of internal Jihadists still constitute a secu- with the terms of the constitution. a statesman, diplomat and defender broadcast of the funeral. Quranic disagreements marred Ennahda’s rity threat even if counterterrorism Just hours after Caid Essebsi’s of democracy. recitations on radio and television electoral preparations. The party, agencies in the country have largely death was announced, parliament “You left us on the day of the reverberated in homes and cafes. however, still remains largely more retaken the initiative since 2015. Speaker Mohamed Ennaceur was 62nd anniversary of the republic, Caid Essebsi was lauded by Tuni- cohesive than secularist contend- Instability in Libya is another sworn in as an interim president for a republic you had spent your life sians as the “last great leader of the ers. It has recently announced that source of concern for Tunisians. a period of up to three months, dur- serving and in the protection of its first generation of independence Ennahda President Rached Ghan- ing which a new president is to be advances and values,” Ennaceur fighters and state builders.” nouchi would run for a parliamen- Lamine Ghanmi is an Arab Weekly elected. said in his eulogy. The late leader’s death came tary seat. correspondent in Tunis. Tunisia’s Independent High Au- “We are helpless to say goodbye during a particularly contentious Caid Essebsi leaves a splintered thority for Elections tentatively set to you. We will remember you for- debate that has polarised Tuni- Nidaa Tounes party, which he P2-3,6 Saudi, US militaries prepare for contingencies in the Gulf Mohammed Alkhereiji sat, which is known to reflect official deployment said: “This movement completed an annual military drill Saudi analyst Abdullah al-Otaibi Saudi policy, the arrival of US forces of forces provides an additional de- in northern Saudi Arabia, with mari- wrote that the invitation by King is “a practical, strongly worded mes- terrent and ensures our ability to time threats factoring heavily. Saudi Salman was a historic and decisive London sage to the Iranian regime that any ni- defend our forces and interests in military representatives were invited step, stemming from two decades of hilistic attempt to take advantage of the region from emergent, credible to observe the joint US, Egyptian and “political turmoil and major disrup- scalating threats posed by regional tensions will be faced with threats.” Emirati military exercises that began tions to the balance of powers in the Iran’s aggressive moves are the necessary forces to deter it and its Tehran has ratcheted up tensions, July 22 in the Red Sea. region.” being taken seriously in the militias.” particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, US forces will be based at the Otaibi cited Iranian and Turkish E Gulf region, particularly in A statement by US Air Forces one of the world’s most important Prince Sultan Airbase, south of Ri- proxies in the region as well as ten- Saudi Arabia, which is hosting US Central Command on the 500-troop shipping routes. yadh, the same installation that had sions in the Gulf as reasons for the troops for the first time since 2003. For Saudi Arabia, Iran’s antagonis- hosted them until 2003. decision. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz US forces will once again tic behaviour could have serious eco- After a crackdown on al-Qaeda af- US officials confirmed that, be- Al Saud approved allowing US forces nomic repercussions if the kingdom’s filiate in Saudi Arabia, and with the sides the 500 US military personnel in the kingdom “to increase joint ef- be based at the Prince global oil shipments were disrupted. kingdom’s religious establishment to be stationed in the kingdom, it had forts to bolster security and stability Sultan Airbase, the same In Yemen, the Houthi militia, sup- embracing a more moderate stance, deployed a Patriot air defence battery and to guarantee peace in the region,” base that hosted them ported by Iran, intensified the threat the hosting of US troops is seen at Prince Sultan Airbase. Asharq al-Awsat reported July 20. until 2003, reflecting the to international navigation in the Red through a different lens than in 2003 An unidentified Saudi Defence changed dynamics on Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. when US troops withdrew from Saudi Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf Ministry official told Asharq al-Aw- the ground since then. US and Saudi troops recently Arabia. section editor of The Arab Weekly. 2 July 28, 2019 Cover Story Viewpoint Beji Caid Essebsi’s legacy ing the Israeli raid. He had in his sleeve a threat to sever relations Oussama with the United States in case of Romdhani a Washington veto. I asked him if Bourguiba’s staunchly pro-West- ern government of the time was n July 25, Tunisia’s willing to use that card. fifth president, Beji “Defending Tunisia’s territo- Caid Essebsi, rial integrity is not negotiable. passed away. We were willing to go as far as When Caid Es- that and the Americans under- sebsi was rushed stood that,” he explained. The Oto the Tunis military hospital on principled stand went a long way July 24, there were no indiscre- towards convincing Washington tions on social media about his to abstain during the UN vote state of health and there were censuring Israel. no cold, calculating politicians But the main legacy of Beji jockeying for position, as was the Caid Essebsi remains his contri- case when he was admitted to the bution in advancing the country’s hospital in June. democratic transition. In 2013, After the first health scare, the secularist camp was pitted there was a sudden awareness against Islamists in a showdown how much the grandfatherly fig- edging on street confrontation. ure meant for the country. In the Tunisians reached the brink of climate of civility and dignified civil strife but then took a step calm that prevailed, there was a back. sombre realisation that the presi- Caid Essebsi eventually dent’s condition was very serious reached an understanding with this time. Islamists on political coexistence The morning of July 25, a na- within the electoral process. As tional holiday marking the proc- he founded the Nidaa Tounes lamation of the republic 62 years party, Caid Essebsi led Tunisian ago, the presidential palace broke moderate secularists to a presi- the sad news to the public.