Ennahda Faces Challenges to Include Heart of Tunisia in Government

Arab World

June 13th, 8:18am

Tunis- Al Mongi Al Saidani

Tunisian President Kais Saied at parliament in Tunis (Reuters)

Tunisia’s Ennahda movement continues to rally support for its proposal to expand the government coalition to include the Heart of Tunisia movement, which is rejected by the People's Movement and Tahya Tounes. The Heart of Tunisia movement, chaired by Nabil Karoui, announced that it would participate in the government if it received seven ministries, which would affect negotiations with the rest of the parties of the government coalition led by Ennahda. Top official of Heart of Tunisia Iyadh Elloumi asserted that his party does not reject participating in the government, but asks for ministries of economy, finance, and industry, along with four others. Karoui previously announced in a televised interview that expanding the “government political belt” will have a positive impact on the parliamentary work and will ensure the smooth passing of bills and decrees in the parliament. He further affirmed that he has no problem with any political party in Tunisia. Observers believe that the movement's condition will suspend the negotiations on expanding the government coalition. They also noted that if Heart of Tunisia, with 29 parliamentary seats, joined the ruling coalition, it will be at the expense of the People’s Movement with 15 seats, and Tahya Tounes, which has 14 seats. Speaker Rachid Ghannouchi, and head of Ennahda movement, called upon all parties to agree on amending the ruling coalition that would create a balance between the government and parliament. Ghannouchi stressed that the coalition will be able to establish an economic and social rescue program, which would achieve social stability, national solidarity, and provide all guarantees and incentives to attract investment. President Kais Saied and Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh do not share Ennahda’s enthusiasm to include the Heart of Tunisia in the government. The President called upon the Prime Minister to ensure the government maintains the same principles upon which it was established, namely not including a party suspected of corruption. Saied noted that there is no need to undertake a ministerial amendment to include some of the proposed figures of Karoui’s movement as ministers. Both the President and the Prime Minister agreed it was necessary to bring all parties of the government coalition together, but without expanding it to include people who are being prosecuted in cases of financial corruption.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2332056/ennahda-faces-challenges-include-heart-tunisia-government