Tunisia: Ennahdha Party Consultative Council Statement

The Consultative Council of Ennahdha Party met on 16-17 February 2013 to discuss the situation in the country following the assassination of the late Mr. Chokri Belaid and the proposal of the Prime Minister Mr Hammadi Jebali to form a government of technocrats. Following extensive discussions, the Consultative Council:

1. Expresses its strong condemnation of the assassination of Chokri Belaid, and regards it as a hateful crime that was aimed at aborting the revolution and derailing the transition in our country. It presents its sincere condolences to the family of Mr Belaid and to the United Patriotic Democrats Party and the Popular Front. It calls upon the security authorities to do their utmost in order to arrest the perpetrators and reveal those behind them and bring them to justice.

2. Re-affirms its condemnation of violence, regardless of its source, and calls on all political and social actors to assume their national responsibility in order to protect the country from falling into a spiral of political violence and the necessity of protecting social peace through establishing a culture of dialogue, the foundations of co-existence and avoidance of disputes and putting blame on others without evidence which only exacerbates tensions.

3. Expresses its strong condemnation of the media campaign against Ennahdha Party which was launched by some in suspicious coincidence with the assassination in an attempt to mislead public opinion.

4. Condemns the logic of undermining democratic legitimacy to which some have resorted, as well as the lack of respect of elected legitimate bodies.

5. Applauds all those individuals, political parties and national figures who rose to defend democratic legitimacy and protect the gains achieved in the country.

6. Salutes the national army and internal security forces for the efforts they continue to make to protect the country and the people. It prays for the soul of the late Mr Lotfi Zar and extends its sincere condolences to his family and colleagues.

7. Commends the Party’s members and structures for the national spirit and responsibility they demonstrated through recent events, and their commitment to democratic legitimacy based on noble democratic methods, thus obstructing the plots of preachers of violence and anarchy.

8. Expresses its commitment to the Party’s choice of forming a coalition political government in line with the legitimacy of the 23 October 2011 elections that is open to all national experts that are committed to the achievements of the aims of the revolution according to a political programme to complete the democratic transition phase through accelerating the adoption of the new constitution and the organisation of democratic elections. The Council believes that the proposal of a technocratic government does not meet the needs of the current phase.

9. Calls on all political actors to place the national interest above all else and display a spirit of consensus, appealing to all political partners to participate in the re-formation of the government and ensuring its success in the shortest possible time frame.

10. Re-affirms the Party’s absolute commitment to the aims of the revolution and the aspirations of Tunisians to freedom, justice, dignity and the dismantling of corruption and despotism.

Ennahdha Party Consultative Council