Page 22 - Issue 34

ELITE Vol.1, issue 34, August 2021
Vol.1, issue 34, August 2021

In this regard, we cannot fail to mention that Tunisia faces Accordingly, it’s possible to shed light on the international
serious challenges to implement its transformation into a reactions to the decisions of Kais Saied, where the global
presidential political system in which the president is powers adopted a cautious approach or the so-called “wait
directly elected by the people and enjoys his full powers (as and see” until now. The White House Press Secretary Jen
is the case in the United States). These challenges are Psaki said the United States was "concerned," and later on
represented in firstly the possibility of that the Brotherhood Monday, July 26, 2021, US Secretary of State Anthony
resort to violence and terrorist methods, and this is what the Blinken spoke with Saied, and said in his statement thae he
Libyan leader Salah Al-Haddad, a defector from the encouraged the latter to "commit to the principles of
Brotherhood said, warning against continuous contacts and democracy and human rights" in Tunisia. As for the EU's
meetings between the Tunisian Brotherhood and the militia response, it was similarly vague, urging all parties to "restore
leaders in Libya. Thus, it is expected that weapons and order and return to dialogue". As for Turkey, or rather, the
militias will be smuggled to the borders of Tunisia, and we ruling Justice and Development Party allied with Ennahda,
may witness in the coming days a painful scenario of armed described the move as "illegitimate", and "those who inflict
action and violence, as what happened in Libya since 2014. this evil on our brothers and sisters, the people of Tunisia, are
This challenge is exacerbated by the idea that the Tunisian harming their country," the Turkish foreign minister added.
As for the Arab countries, there are some analysts who see
army has historically no role in the political sphere and may Title (plse respect font)
face difficulties in confronting these armed unconventional Saied’s decisions as a reflection of clear support from anti-
groups (compared to the Egyptian armed forces in Sinai). Islamist and counterrevolutionary forces in the region, mainly
Saudi Arabia (especially after the Saudi Foreign Minister’s
Another challenge for the Tunisian leadership is to find, - in visit to Carthage Palace on July 31, 2021 to confirm the
light of the current economic crisis, an alternative economic Kingdom’s support for Saeid’s decisions) and the UAE, as
partner to Qatar, which inherited Tunisia's economy after they did by supporting the June 2013 revolution and
Ben Ali, with the help of the Brotherhood, through the Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the time.
purchase of shares of Tunisian companies, banks, channels
and newspapers, either directly or indirectly (by their clients
from the Tunisian Brotherhood). This is what President Said Finally, in light of the feuding protests that have emerged
declared in his statements that a large number of officials since last Monday and are making the situation more volatile,
were involved in “corruption and looting of the Tunisian we can first ask whether it is possible for Saeid and the
people's resources”, as most of these shares were sold political parties to de-escalate tensions and negotiate a way
through offers, and were not put on the stock exchange or out of the crisis, as well as about the importance in this regard
public auctions. This what makes the situation in Tunisia as of the General Labor Union and other civil society actors to
close as possible to the situation in Lebanon, whose help broker a way out of this crisis? And secondly, is it really
economy is also an arena of conflict for international possible for Ennahda to make major concessions, change its
influence (especially from Gulf and Iranian capital) without leadership and accept a constitutional reform (as Said seeks)
benefit in terms of investments and job opportunities. and thus become a true Tunisian exception, or will it abandon
the civil space it cut off and return to its origins and turn
towards a violent “militia” reaction, especially with its
leadership dominated by a hardline, radicalistic faction.

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