Aug 07, 2013
Reuters is reporting that the suspension of Tunisia's Constituent Assembly on Tuesday, as announced by assembly head Mustafa Ben Jaffar, secretary-general of the center-left party Ettakatol, could bring Tunisia "closer to an 'Egyptian scenario' in which the secular opposition topples an Islamist-led government."
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tunis on Tuesday calling for the ouster of the leading Ennahda party, which protesters say is to blame for the assassination of the leftist politician Mohamed Brahmi on July 25. Brahmi's assassination sparked the recent protest surge, as did as the assassination of leftist leader Chokri Belaid exactly six months ago that stemmed similar popular outrage.
Over 70 members of the Constituent Assembly had withdrawn two weeks ago in protest over the two killings and organized a sit-in outside the assembly headquarters, leading to the entire assembly suspension on Tuesday in response to the ongoing turmoil.
The suspension hits just weeks before the transitional body was scheduled "to finish a draft constitution and electoral law that would allow Tunisia to hold fresh elections by the end of the year," Reuters reports.
According to Al Jazeera, the turmoil is the worst political crisis since the toppling of autocratic ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, which lead to the "Arab Spring" uprisings around the world.
As Tunisian political analyst Sofian Ben Farha told Reuters, "The Egypt scenario is not far off and seems quite possible if the crisis continues."
"The mass mobilization and Ben Jaafar's decision [to suspend the assembly] will quickly bring us to what happened in Egypt," Sofian Chouarbi, an opposition activist who rose to prominence in the 2011 revolt, told Reuters.
In addition, similar to Egypt, there is a large pro-government population in support of the Ennahda party. On Saturday tens of thousands of pro-Ennahda protesters came out in support of the government, at times chanting, "No to coups, yes to elections."
_______________________
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Jacob Chamberlain
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.
Reuters is reporting that the suspension of Tunisia's Constituent Assembly on Tuesday, as announced by assembly head Mustafa Ben Jaffar, secretary-general of the center-left party Ettakatol, could bring Tunisia "closer to an 'Egyptian scenario' in which the secular opposition topples an Islamist-led government."
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tunis on Tuesday calling for the ouster of the leading Ennahda party, which protesters say is to blame for the assassination of the leftist politician Mohamed Brahmi on July 25. Brahmi's assassination sparked the recent protest surge, as did as the assassination of leftist leader Chokri Belaid exactly six months ago that stemmed similar popular outrage.
Over 70 members of the Constituent Assembly had withdrawn two weeks ago in protest over the two killings and organized a sit-in outside the assembly headquarters, leading to the entire assembly suspension on Tuesday in response to the ongoing turmoil.
The suspension hits just weeks before the transitional body was scheduled "to finish a draft constitution and electoral law that would allow Tunisia to hold fresh elections by the end of the year," Reuters reports.
According to Al Jazeera, the turmoil is the worst political crisis since the toppling of autocratic ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, which lead to the "Arab Spring" uprisings around the world.
As Tunisian political analyst Sofian Ben Farha told Reuters, "The Egypt scenario is not far off and seems quite possible if the crisis continues."
"The mass mobilization and Ben Jaafar's decision [to suspend the assembly] will quickly bring us to what happened in Egypt," Sofian Chouarbi, an opposition activist who rose to prominence in the 2011 revolt, told Reuters.
In addition, similar to Egypt, there is a large pro-government population in support of the Ennahda party. On Saturday tens of thousands of pro-Ennahda protesters came out in support of the government, at times chanting, "No to coups, yes to elections."
_______________________
Jacob Chamberlain
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.
Reuters is reporting that the suspension of Tunisia's Constituent Assembly on Tuesday, as announced by assembly head Mustafa Ben Jaffar, secretary-general of the center-left party Ettakatol, could bring Tunisia "closer to an 'Egyptian scenario' in which the secular opposition topples an Islamist-led government."
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tunis on Tuesday calling for the ouster of the leading Ennahda party, which protesters say is to blame for the assassination of the leftist politician Mohamed Brahmi on July 25. Brahmi's assassination sparked the recent protest surge, as did as the assassination of leftist leader Chokri Belaid exactly six months ago that stemmed similar popular outrage.
Over 70 members of the Constituent Assembly had withdrawn two weeks ago in protest over the two killings and organized a sit-in outside the assembly headquarters, leading to the entire assembly suspension on Tuesday in response to the ongoing turmoil.
The suspension hits just weeks before the transitional body was scheduled "to finish a draft constitution and electoral law that would allow Tunisia to hold fresh elections by the end of the year," Reuters reports.
According to Al Jazeera, the turmoil is the worst political crisis since the toppling of autocratic ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, which lead to the "Arab Spring" uprisings around the world.
As Tunisian political analyst Sofian Ben Farha told Reuters, "The Egypt scenario is not far off and seems quite possible if the crisis continues."
"The mass mobilization and Ben Jaafar's decision [to suspend the assembly] will quickly bring us to what happened in Egypt," Sofian Chouarbi, an opposition activist who rose to prominence in the 2011 revolt, told Reuters.
In addition, similar to Egypt, there is a large pro-government population in support of the Ennahda party. On Saturday tens of thousands of pro-Ennahda protesters came out in support of the government, at times chanting, "No to coups, yes to elections."
_______________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.