Tunisia Ennahda Movement: We will not grant trust to Fakhfakh’s government

The head of the Shura Council of the Tunisian Ennahda Movement, Abdelkarim Harouni, confirms that the party will not grant trust to the government of Elyes Fakhfakh, if ​presented in its current form.

Harouni’s statements came during a press conference on Friday, after the conclusion of the works of the 37th session of the Shura Council of the Ennahda Movement (54 out of 217 seats in Parliament).

“We are keen for the government to continue to succeed in overcoming the economic and social challenges and to have stability in Parliament,” added Harouni.

He advised Fakhfakh not to present his government to the president with its current formation, and to carry out further consultations.

Harouni explained that the proposal made by Fakhfakh to his government: “Is below the required standard and does not achieve the goal of national unity; it includes an imbalance between the participating parties.”

The head of the Ennahda Shura Council expressed his commitment to defending a national unity government that does not exclude any party. He continued:

The insistence on a government of national unity stems from Ennahda’s desire to end exclusion in Tunisia.

Read: Prime Minister designate fails to get support of Tunisia’s largest part

“What we have noticed in Parliament and the media does not encourage dealing with parties that do not respect each other. In addition, the attack against Ennahda and national organisations, especially the Labour Union, does not help in forming a stable government devoted to overcoming the economic and social challenges,” indicated Harouni.

He also stressed on the necessity of respecting the will of voters and balances in Parliament.

On 24 January, Fakhfakh announced that 10 political parties have expressed their willingness to participate in the next government.

The parties are: Ennahda Movement, the Democratic Current (social-democratic/22 MPs), the Dignity Coalition (revolutionary/18 MPs), the People’s Movement (Nasseri/15 MPs), Tahya Tounes (liberal/14 MPs), Machrouu Tounes (Liberal/4 MPs), the Republican People’s Union (centrist/2 MPs), Nidaa Tounes (Liberal/3 MPs), the Tunisian Alternative (Liberal/3 MPs) and Afek Tounes (Liberal/2 MPs).

Fakhfakh indicated at the time that the Heart of Tunisia party and the Free Destourian Party (liberal constitutional/17 MPs) would be outside the government alliance, emphasising that: “There is no democracy without real opposition.”

On Tuesday, the Ennahda Movement’s spokesperson, Imad Al-Khemiri, pointed out in media statements that the movement’s parliamentary bloc can vote in favour of Fakhfakh’s government without participating in it, in case “t is not formed according to the representation of the parties in Parliament.

A week ago, the speaker for the Tunisian Parliament, Rached Ghannouchi, announced that: “Fakhfakh’s government will not pass and will not gain the trust of Parliament if the Heart of Tunisia party is excluded from its formation.”

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