Tunisia: Ennahdha maneuvers al-Fakhakh government

Sarah Waheed

The Ennahda movement, the arm of the Brotherhood in Tunisia, continued its maneuvers in the process of forming the new government, declaring its refusal to give it confidence, in what appears to be the aim of forcing Prime Minister Elias El Fakhakh to make more concessions for the movement.

On Saturday 15 February, after the meeting of the Shura Council, the supreme body in its party, the Al-Nahda movement announced that it had withdrawn its candidates from the government proposed by Prime Minister-designate El-Fakhfakh and not granting it confidence, a few hours before el-Fakhakh presented his government to Tunisian President Qais Said.

The Ennahda movement and its party became an inseparable part of the political scene in the country, especially after its president Rashid Ghannouchi assumed the presidency of the Parliament, but it appeared that Ennahdha wanted a process of extending full influence over the country, and this was evident during its attempt to pressure the prime minister to submit to the movement, and make concessions to it.

That was evidenced by what was confirmed by the movement’s spokesperson, Imad Khamiri, on February 11, 2020, when he indicated that his movement expressed the possibility of supporting the government without participating in it.

The movement seeks to extend its influence on the Tunisian scene again, especially after feeling that the choice of the government has left its hands, and in order to regain control, it insisted on choosing a national unity government in which the “Heart of Tunisia” party led by Nabil Karoui participated.

The Ennahda movement is pushing for the “Heart of Tunisia” to be included in the proposed government, and to ensure a comfortable majority in parliament to ensure that bills are passed.

The British newspaper Telegraph stated that Al-Nahda adherence to the Heart of Tunisia party will not last long, especially in the case of ensuring the movement what it plans from the beginning, which is ensuring a number of ministries in its hands, including justice and the interior, and excluding the Democratic Current Party, especially from the ministries that might enable it to open files that threaten movement.

Signs of division

Despite Al-Nahda objection to the government of Al-Fakhfakh, Rashid Al-Ghannoushi, head of the movement, confirmed during a radio interview to him on February 13, 2020, that Al-Nahda party will give confidence to the “Al-Fakhfakh” government in all cases, adding that the movement will support the government, whether it participates or  did not participate in it, because the Tunisian people need a government of trust, according to his expression.

Perhaps the party’s withdrawal from the proposed government formation consultations shows clear internal rifts.

On the other hand, Prime Minister El-Fakhfakh, said, “The movement’s withdrawal places the country in front of difficult options”, noting that it withdrew because the “Heart of Tunisia” party was not involved in the government.