Ghannoushi says Tunisia better off five years after revolution

Leader of Ennahda Party Rached Ghannoushi speaks to Anadolu Agency about where Tunisia stands five years after revolution, Daesh and the Middle East.

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) – Five years have passed since the Tunisian revolution ended the rule of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, inspiring a number of other Arab countries to follow in the path of freedom and democracy.

On the anniversary of this historic event that has inspired the Arab Spring, Anadolu Agency interviewed Rached Ghannoushi, the influential leader of Ennahda Party.

Ghannoushi spoke to Anadolu Agency about where Tunisia stands five years after the revolution.

Anadolu Agency: Is Tunisia on the right path?

Ghannoushi: The revolutionary path is successful and we are entering the 6th year. Tunisia did not only preserve the revolution. It also transformed it into a democracy in a tough region [of the world].

Tunisia advanced on the path of democracy, wrote a new constitution and created constitutional institutions like the Constitutional Court, a commission for transitional justice, a justice council, electoral bodies and agencies to monitor the media, which are all independent.

By the end of this year, we will have, for the first time, free regional and municipal elections and by doing so, we will accomplish the democratic process.

When it comes to security, we are facing real difficulties. Terrorism is a challenge, which is related to the socio-economic challenge, including the high rates of unemployment that we did not succeed in reducing.

Anadolu Agency: Some analysts say the economic situation in Tunisia is worsening day by day due to the absence of investments and tourism’s catastrophic situation. Can we consider this as a threat to state institutions? Can the fragile economy trigger a second revolution?

Ghannoushi: There is no serious talk about a second revolution. There have been no setbacks in this revolution for a second revolution to take place.

If you mean a counter revolution, there is no adequate atmosphere for a counter revolution in Tunisia because of the professionalism of our neutral army. Also, there are no social forces capable of triggering a revolution or a counter revolution.

There are difficulties. It is not new in Tunisia that strikes happen. During the last five years, we witnessed a large number of strikes and protests, but things have remained under control.

Anadolu Agency: On the 5th anniversary of the revolution, what is your message to Tunisians and the world?

Ghannoushi: Tunisians have to trust in their revolution more and realize that revolutions do not achieve their goals overnight. Freedom has a price. Because of this revolution, Tunisians are free.Tunisians should be patient and make up their mind to restore the concept of work so that they can achieve the second goal of the revolution: employment, development and good education.

Tunisia possesses a significant potential for development. Tunisia is supported internationally. Tunisia is providing an example of democratic Islam, which is in the interest of [Tunisia] and the world.

My message to the world is that Tunisian democracy is a gain for all of us. Today, there are two confronting paradigms in Islam, the Daesh paradigm and the Tunisian paradigm. Anyone sensing a threat from the Daesh paradigm should support Tunisian democracy.

Billions have been invested in fighting terrorism. A few billions should be directed to support democracy, which is the substitute of terrorism and the wrong interpretations of Islam.

Anadolu Agency: How do you evaluate the coalition with Nida Tounes (Call of Tunisia)?

Ghannoushi: Ennahda is in power today. We are a partner in power and we insist on this partnership. Talk about clashes between Nida and Ennahda is not true. No rivalry took place between our sympathizers. There are disputes inside Nida and not between Nida and Ennahda.

Ennahda believed in the idea of coexistence advocated by the president of the republic. Ennahdha believed in the path of consensus and we created coordinating bodies between the four allied parties.

We will continue on the path of consensus and partnership. Disputes inside Nida should be solved by Nida, not Ennahda. Regardless, Ennahda is the biggest supporter of the government and we will continue to be.

Anadolu Agency: How do you see the situation in Egypt? You had previously said that you would like to be a mediator in the conflict?

Ghannoushi: No Egyptian party reacted. We did not sense a willingness to go further in this direction, so we stopped.

If a serious step is to be made toward reconciliation, it should come from the regime itself. It is the one in power. The Egyptian regime did not express any willingness to reconciliate with the [Muslim] Brotherhood or others. Because of this, Egypt is heading toward confrontation.

We wish for all parties in Egypt to recognize each other and move toward reconciliation, because there is no other substitute.

Anadolu Agency: There is growing tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran. How do you see this conflict?

Ghannoushi: We are against any sectarian conflict. We support all kinds of reconciliation and dialogue to solve problems, not through war. We highly condemned the attacks on the Saudi Arabian diplomatic headquarters in Iran and the interference in the internal affairs of Saudi.

Anadolu Agency: In a previous interview with Anadolu Agency, you said that you see no future for terrorism, but today, we see that Daesh is still expanding by waging attacks in various countries.

Ghannoushi: This is an expression of failure, not of success. Daesh started to fail in Iraq from where it started. In Iraq, Daesh is not expanding. It is retreating.

Anadolu Agency: Isn’t Daesh expanding in Libya?

Ghannoushi: It is an attempt to compensate its losses in Iraq and Syria. We hope that Daesh faces a miserable future.

Anadolu Agency: Tunisia is still the top exporter of jihadists. How do you explain that?

Ghannoushi: Problems that have accumulated over 50 years will not be healed overnight. We are treating Ben Ali’s legacy.

This violent youths are the fruit of religious desertification, which was promoted by the state after Tunisia’s independence.

The state eliminated, to a great extent, moderate religiosity, which paved the way for extremism. The terrorists are not the sons of the revolution. They are the sons of Ben Ali.

February 5th, 2019

a remote mountain town in southern Tunisia

November 11th, 2018

February 5^th, 2019

November 11^th, 2018