Tunisia: Ghannouchi renews pledge not to run for movement presidency 

Head of Tunisian parliament and leader of the Ennahda movement Rached Ghannouchi renewed his pledge to respect the internal law of the movement and not to amend it in order to run again for presidency.

Ghannouchi affirmed on Thursday in a press statement that he: “Is not the guardian of the other movement members,” with reference to the initiative of some movement leaders to re-elect him as president of Ennahda, despite the fact that the internal law does not allow it.

The Ennahda movement has been witnessing internal disputes on several subjects including the re-election of Ghannouchi to lead the movement, after presiding over the party for two consecutive terms, four years each, from 2012 to 2020.

Article 31 of Ennahda’s internal election laws stipulate that no member has the right to hold the leadership of the party for more than two consecutive terms.

Last September, 100 movement leaders signed a letter asking Ghannouchi not to run for another term.

READ: Tunisia’s Ghannouchi calls for solidarity to confront economic crisis

Last month, a Tunisian newspaper disclosed that the members of the Ennahda movement had reached an agreement that would end the disputes that have been affecting the movement for months. The agreement would make Ghannouchi an honorary president with no powers after the end of his term.

The newspaper explained that Ghannouchi had accepted the terms of the agreement to end the internal conflict within Ennahda.

According to the agreement, the Ennahda general conference will be postponed for two years, with Ghannouchi’s pledge not to run for the leadership of the movement or the next presidential elections in the country. Instead, he will remain as an honorary head of the movement, without powers and with no direct leadership jurisdictions.