Tunisia's Ennahda head condemns failed coup in Turkey

By Adel Iapti

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) – The new leader of Tunisia’s influential Ennahda Movement denounced the July 15 coup attempt in Turkey as "outrageous and dangerous," saying that Ankara will be able to weather its aftereffects and continue its path of democracy, also stressing that the success of a prospective national unity government in Tunisia would be a priority for his movement.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Ennahda Secretary-General Zied Ladhari said: “We condemn the outrageous putschist process that took place in Turkey last week,” adding, that Tunisia’s president Beji Caid Essebsi, “congratulated President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the failure of this process, and stressed that Tunisia stands with its brother Turkey."

Ladhari explained, “We are sure that our brothers in Turkey will succeed in overcoming the consequences of this dangerous process,” adding that it had targeted the democratic path, stressing that his movement stands against all military coups.

Turning to domestic developments in Tunisia, Ladhari – who is a minister of vocational training and employment in the current government – remarked on the decision taken by the current prime minister, Habib Essid, to seek a parliamentary vote of confidence in response to Essebsi’s initiative to formulate a national unity government, saying, “We respect this decision,” expressing hope that Essid’s decision will “accelerate the completion of the unity government initiative, because the situation of the country has no time to waste."

If the July 30 ballot in parliament results in a vote of no confidence, Tunisian parties will begin consultations and procedures to form a national unity government.

On this subject, Ladhari said, "The Tunisian national unity government that will be formed in a new broad and unprecedented national consensus is required to build on and expand on the successes achieved by the current government, and to avoid the mistakes that occurred in the
previous phase and to accelerate achievement in the next phase.”

Ladhari denied media reports about the will to sacrifice the prime minister of the current government, and blaming him for Tunisia’s continuing economic and social woes, saying that he thinks that the initiative is not targeting the premier or anyone else, but instead aims to accelerate the achievement of Tunisians’ hopes and expectations.

About whether the Ennahda movement will get ministerial portfolios in the next government in line with the seats it holds in the legislature (69 deputies of the movement, 67 members of the umbrella Neda Tunis movement, out of a total 217 seats), Ladhari said that the priority today is to achieve the “conditions for success for the government,” adding that there is unprecedented agreement on this point among nine diverse parties in parliament, in addition to the country’s three major national organizations.

Ladhari added, "The government structure will be discussed in dialogue between the parties and parliamentary blocs. The July 13 consensus Carthage Document emphasizes respect for election results, without resorting to quotas, he said, adding, "There is an appreciation for the efficiency and considerations relevant to diversity and national agreement."

On July 13, nine Tunisian political parties and three major organizations signed onto the "Carthage Declaration,” which lays out the priorities of a proposed national unity government.

In this context, Ladhari stressed that such a government would need to accelerate tackling corruption and as part of this, build a national strategy on which the country’s most important political, social, civil parties are agreed.

On Ennahda’s internal situation, and disagreement over the movement’s leadership which emerged during the movement’s 10th congress this May, Ladhari acknowledged disputes within the movement, like any party or political entity, describing this as "natural and positive."

In another context, and on the situation in Libya, and what has been said in the Arab and international media about the presence of French troops fighting alongside Khalifa Haftar forces loyal to the interim government in Tobruk, Ladhari said, “There is an official position of the Tunisian state and we are supportive of the choice of political agreement and national dialogue between all the components of the Libyan political factions.”

He added that he believes a solution in Libya will emerge through dialogue and reconciliation, and expressed optimism that the Libyans will “find their way to consensus and building a stable experience that preserve their country’s security.”

Ladhari added: “The Tunisian state has a clear stance on external intervention. We respect the sovereignty of all countries, including brotherly Libya, and we are sure that all international and European powers including France support the choice of the national dialogue and Libyan reconciliation and that these countries will seek the success of the Libyan experience."

Members of the "Libyan political dialogue” initiated a UN-brokered consultative meeting in Tunis, Tunisia’s capital, to discuss ways to implement the Libyan political agreement and the formation of a unified Libyan army, as well as end the division which has plagued the country since the overthrow of late leader Muammar Gaddafi.