Calls for youth demonstrations in Tunisia in response to Brotherhood captivity

Amira Sherif

Tunisian National Bloc MP Mabrouk Korchid has called for a “million-strong march of youth and women as soon as possible to restore legitimacy” in response to what he described as “Ennahda’s fake display of its forces.”

On Saturday, the Ennahda movement pushed thousands into the street, denouncing the calls to dissolve the parliament and in defense of the ministerial reshuffle made by Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and ratified by the Assembly of Representatives, but President Kais Saied objected to it, which prevented the new ministers from assuming their duties.

The cabinet reshuffle crisis between the two heads of the executive authority in Tunisia enters its fifth week without indications of its dissolution, in a delicate economic and social circumstance, amid new calls to take to the streets after the march organized by Ennahda a few days ago.

Korchid called on all national and progressive forces to take to the streets to emphasize that “the country is not a captive of the Brotherhood movement, but rather belongs to civilians and patriots,” stressing that “Ennahda mobilized thousands for its march through funds to send a message to the world that it is the strongest.”

President Saied had commented on the Ennahda march, saying, “Today you see how money is being wasted, and then they talk about the bankruptcy of the country,” stressing that “Tunisia suffers from political, not material, bankruptcy.”

Observers believe that the Ennahda demonstration is a “show of strength and will further fuel the existing dispute between the president and the prime minister,” while politicians doubt that most of the participants in it would be supporters of the movement, in light of the decline in its popularity, as confirmed by various opinion polls.

In another context, the results of an opinion poll conducted from February 22-25 in 24 governorates revealed that Ennahda comes in second place for voting intentions in the legislative elections with 20 percent, while the Destourian Party continues to lead the voting list by 42 percent, according to Emrhod Consulting.

It is noteworthy that the stifling political crisis in the country comes amid increasing fears that Tunisia will enter bankruptcy after Moody’s downgraded the country’s foreign and local currency issuer ratings from B2 to B3 while maintaining negative prospects. In addition, protests continue against the background of social and economic demands.

Tunisia may be plunged into political struggles, and the country could head to the brink of bankruptcy and collapse with the shift in interest from treating existing crises to a dropped political crisis, which has further deteriorated the situation.

For about a month, Tunisia has been experiencing an unprecedented political crisis after the president refused to accept the ministers of the government reshuffle made by Mechichi on January 26, accusing four of the 11 ministers of corruption and conflicts of interest.

In the most recent chapter of the crisis between Saied and Mechichi, the prime minister removed five ministers affiliated with the president from their posts.

Saied’s rejection of the government amendment is due to deep disagreements with Mechichi, who has been supported by Ennahda since the first days of premiership in early September 2020.