Academic and former member of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA), Chokri Yaich gave Africanmanager an exclusive interview in which he accused the Ennahda movement of trapping and manipulating everyone including the Popular Front (PF) to participate in the government.
On the composition of Habib Essid’s government, he described this cabinet as disappointing and its economic program short of the requirements of the 2nd Republic and the sacrifices of martyrs.
Regarding the murder of Chokri Belaid and Brahmi, he said the case may never know the true sponsors or the beneficiary of these assassinations.
Interview:
What do you think about the composition of Essid’s government? Are you with the involvement of Ennahda in power?
First, I must say that I have no problem with Ennahda as long as the Islamist movement will respect like all other political parties the rules of democracy and no longer try to transform the lifestyle of Tunisians. This is a legal political party rooted in Tunisian popular and electoral mass that deserves respect. However, I denounce “the great scam” or “mass manipulation” of people in the last legislative elections, by stressing the need to vote useful: “not voting for Nidaa Tounes means voting for Ennahda” and firmly ruling out any alliance with the Islamist movement, which led to an unprecedented electoral tidal wave sweeping all the Centre’s political parties and several figures and true activists.
Regarding its participation in the government, I think, again, that the Ennahda party has manipulated and trapped everyone including the Popular Front: it is the biggest winner.
Can you tell us how?
The Ennahda movement has always maintained, even before the elections that is interested in participating in a national unity government, more than enough to discard the Popular Front, which in principle would not participate in a government including a party during its rule political killings took place and whose real sponsors are still unknown. Therefore, I must say that the refusal of the Popular Front to participate in the government has concretized the Nidaa-Ennahda reconciliation and pushed Nidaa to hit its “face-down card” during the “corrected version” of the government team.
Obviously, there is a price to pay for the participation of the Ennahda in the government with the party agreeing to be under-represented, but chose to have sentries in every social or economic department. Its watchful eye on this government could allow it to avoid opening embarrassing records. The other price to pay by the former opposition is the division even within Nidaa Tounes that may suffer the same fate as Ettakatol and the total isolation of the Popular Front that does not weigh as opposition leader. It is clear that a majority of 126 votes (with the Popular Front) would have been sufficient in the medium term and would be more reassuring because Ennahda knows that this government is very fragile and could threaten to quit at any time and every time it would feel threatened.
Regarding the composition of the government, with few exceptions, it is relatively disappointing, the country must go through a stage of rescue and restructuring and must undergo a series of reforms in the administrative, economic, social and educational fields and which needs choosing the best.
What do you think of the government’s economic program?
I do not know if at this stage, we can talk about a program; anyway, it is not up to the Second Republic we had proudly offered to the country as members of the Constituent Assembly and after so many sacrifices and martyrs. These are merely measures such as “cleansing campaigns,” increasing the grant for needy families or the cancellation of “microscopic” debts.
I was expecting real reforms of the tax system, education, administration, rapid implementation of the constitution on decentralization, the government’s policy on water scarcity awaiting us, the government’s policy in the field of energy and mines and the inevitable introduction of renewable energy. I also expect this government to tell us how it will improve the purchasing power of citizens, how it will create wealth and combat unemployment. None of this!!
In principle, specific objectives in the short and medium term must be set in advance in the short and medium terms in several areas such as security, the economy, education, administration, and then appoint the appropriate and competent ministers and not the reverse.
Asking the ministers to set goals after 10 days is a bad start, maybe this government would not go far if we do not bring revolutionary and popular changes in all areas such as the long-awaited deep reforms beginning with decentralized administration, otherwise how could we organizing regional and municipal elections in no later than 2 years if we did not apply to the letter chapter 7 (local authority) of the Constitution through new laws.
You have a rather negative view and yet you supported Caid Essebsi
True, but there are two different things, I supported Mr. Caid Essebsi as President, he has now taken up residence in Carthage, it is surely himself, in person, who suggested the name of the Prime Minister but I believe he is in the process of “laissez faire” respecting his prerogatives in this mixed or semi parliamentary regime.
But in my opinion and strategically, he would have already prepared a scenario B for the coming months because he knows that this government could not resist much to the turbulence and go beyond the course of the next Congress of Nidaa.
Is a government shared by Nidaa and Ennahda able to reveal the truth about the murders of Brahmi and Belaid?
I hope I’m wrong but I do not think so. We may probably never know the true sponsor or the beneficiary of these assassinations. May God bestow mercy upon them and upon all the martyrs who fell for Tunisia.
