Skip to main content

Ghannouchi Defends Islamist Rule in Tunisia

Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of Tunisia's ruling Ennahda party, insists that Islam and democracy can coexist and even thrive in his country, Nafeesa Syeed reports.
Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the Islamist Ennahda movement, Tunisia's main Islamist political party, delivers a speech during a meeting regarding International Women's Day in Tunis March 10, 2013.  International Women's Day fell on March 8. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi (TUNISIA - Tags: POLITICS SOCIETY) - RTR3ETM2

GAMMARTH, Tunisia — Tunisia's post-revolution experience has proven that Islam and democracy are not contradictory terms, and the country's democratic transition could serve as a model for other Arab Spring countries, according to the leader of the ruling Islamist party.

Rached Ghannouchi, president of the Ennahda movement, said Friday the October 2011 National Constituent Assembly elections demonstrated that Islamists were the most popular choice among the population. Even so, the party is working with others in the government to establish a model that will prevent the retreat to dictatorship, he said. The troika government, made up of what he called moderate secularist and moderate Islamist wings, has agreed on a number of principles and actions.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.