Ben Ali’s pre-election maneuvers.

Tunisia has referred to the possibility of recognizing parties led by Islamists if the parties committed themselves to the Constitution and announced establishing of Tunisia’s first Islamic bank”.”

In separate remarks to”Islam Online”, experts and politicians have considered it measures by Tunisia’s ruling regime to divert the attention of the Islamists to the problem of the lack of recognition as a political power rather than giving them an opportunity to engage seriously in the political process. It also aims to gain brownie points ahead of the legislative and presidential elections scheduled on Sunday, October 25, 2009.

See also:

Genuine political powers forcibly absent from Tunisia’s elections.

Tunisian Minister of administrative reform Zuhair Al-Muzaffar does not oppose the recognition of parties led by Islamist if these parties committed themselves in the Constitution. In a recent interview with the al-Hayat International newspaper he asserted “If the party commits to the law of founding parties and abides by the constitution, I do not mind, we judge by actions taken however the innermost intentions are judged by Allah Almighty”

On his part, Fahd Mohammad Sakhr Materi, son-in-law of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, said he is going to establish Tunisia’s first Islamic bank named “Al-Zaytuna”.

Al-Materi, a 29 year old businessman has ascertained that he is planning for the establishment of the Constituent General Assembly of Zitouna Bank to be national, modern and open to the global world”

“The bank’s administration has asked for the assistance of the international and local expertise in the areas of banking and Islamic finances.”

Mohamed Sakhr El Materi, the founder of Zitouna Bank and who is also the CEO of “Princess Group Holding” is the bank’s main shareholder with over 51% of capital expected to begin operations early June 2010 with a capital of USD 25 million based in the northern suburbs of Tunisia on the Lake of Tunis.

Al-Materi owns 70% of the capital of Dar Al-Sabah (The Morning), Tunisia’s oldest private press institution and since October 2007 has owned the largest share of “Zitouna for the Holy Quran,” the first religious radio station launched in Tunisia.”

“He aims to Win votes”

Commenting on these developments, Islamist writer and Journalist Morsel Al-kasepy believes these reports are an attempt by the authorities to alleviate pressure as they are on the onset of legislative and presidential elections.

He added in statements to “Islamonline.net” on Saturday, October 24, 2009 that “The authority is aiming to split unity of the Islamic trend signaling the possibility of the recognition of parties with religious background. These parties will be subject to the supervision of the Interior Ministry and will not represent genuine opposition like other parties. These are merely maneuvers to divert the attention of the Islamists towards their recognition as a political power rather than giving them an opportunity to engage seriously in freedom, democracy and genuine political reform as is currently the case”.