Ghannouchi seeks to overcome defat in presidential polls

Mohamed Abdel Ghaffar

Tunisia’s Ennahda Movement has suffered from a series of blows over the past few weeks from the defeat of Abdel Fattah Moro in the country’s first round of presidential election as well as the resignation of the movement’s senior leaders.

The resignations were prompted by corruption that has dominated the movement due to the control Rached Ghannouchi’s family.

As the parliamentary polls near, Ghannouchi is trying to unite Ennahda members and fuel hope within the movement’s grassroots.

On October 2, Ghannouchi said in a local radio interview that Tunisians are in pain because they realize the magnitude of corruption.

“We send them a message that we will combat corruption,” he said.

Ghannouchi has put the blame on late president Beji Caid Essebsi and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed for the crises that Ennahdha’s ministers have inflicted on the country.

Ghannouchi is seeking to get parliamentary immunity in an attempt to evade any possible trial for his direct role in creating the secret service of Ennahda, which is accused of killing leftist leaders Mohamed Brahmi and Chokri Belaïd.