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Tunisian Islamic Party Re-elects Moderate Leader Tunisian Islamic Party Re-elects Moderate Leader
(about 5 hours later)
TUNIS — The leader of Tunisia’s main Islamic political party was re-elected on Monday, winning endorsement for his effort to move the party away from its Islamist roots and stay in tune with the country’s five-year-old democratic revolution.TUNIS — The leader of Tunisia’s main Islamic political party was re-elected on Monday, winning endorsement for his effort to move the party away from its Islamist roots and stay in tune with the country’s five-year-old democratic revolution.
The leader, Rachid Ghannouchi, a renowned Islamic thinker who spent 22 years in exile during Tunisia’s dictatorship, had tears in his eyes Monday as he embraced his rival in the party vote, which he won with 800 of the 1,058 ballots cast.The leader, Rachid Ghannouchi, a renowned Islamic thinker who spent 22 years in exile during Tunisia’s dictatorship, had tears in his eyes Monday as he embraced his rival in the party vote, which he won with 800 of the 1,058 ballots cast.
The vote, a culmination of a three-day party congress here in Tunis, was a victory for the 74-year-old Mr. Ghannouchi and an important turning point for his party, Ennahda, as it seeks to separate the party’s religious and political activities. The vote, a culmination of a three-day party congress here in Tunis, was a victory for Mr. Ghannouchi, 74, and an important turning point for his party, Ennahda, as it seeks to separate the party’s religious and political activities.
“One of the most important changes we came to was the independence of the political mission and the political party from social and cultural activities,” Mr. Ghannouchi told reporters. “We were not able to achieve this cause before because of a lack of clarity.”“One of the most important changes we came to was the independence of the political mission and the political party from social and cultural activities,” Mr. Ghannouchi told reporters. “We were not able to achieve this cause before because of a lack of clarity.”
He said the party had matured and the country’s new Constitution — guaranteeing freedom of religion, and calling for a separation of politics from civil society — had made a change in the party’s direction possible.He said the party had matured and the country’s new Constitution — guaranteeing freedom of religion, and calling for a separation of politics from civil society — had made a change in the party’s direction possible.
“The Ennahda millstone works slowly,” he said in Arabic. “It makes the cereals smooth, very smooth, after it grinds the corn.”“The Ennahda millstone works slowly,” he said in Arabic. “It makes the cereals smooth, very smooth, after it grinds the corn.”
Inspired by Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, the party was founded as the Islamic Tendency Movement in 1981, and later renamed Ennahda, or Renaissance. Thousands of its members were imprisoned or exiled under Tunisia’s authoritarian presidents, Habib Bourguiba and Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.Inspired by Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, the party was founded as the Islamic Tendency Movement in 1981, and later renamed Ennahda, or Renaissance. Thousands of its members were imprisoned or exiled under Tunisia’s authoritarian presidents, Habib Bourguiba and Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.
Mr. Ghannouchi returned to Tunisia from Britain in the weeks after the popular uprising that ousted Mr. Ben Ali in 2011 and led Ennahda to victory in Tunisia’s first democratic elections in 2012. Mr. Ghannouchi returned to Tunisia from Britain in the weeks after the popular uprising that ousted Mr. Ben Ali in 2011 and led Ennahda to victory in 2012 in Tunisia’s first democratic elections.
After that victory, the party struggled to govern Tunisia in the tumultuous period following the revolution as secular opposition to the Islamists grew. They were seen by some to condone a surge of Salafist vigilantism in Tunisia, and popular confidence in the party’s leadership waned amid economic difficulties and rising terrorism.After that victory, the party struggled to govern Tunisia in the tumultuous period following the revolution as secular opposition to the Islamists grew. They were seen by some to condone a surge of Salafist vigilantism in Tunisia, and popular confidence in the party’s leadership waned amid economic difficulties and rising terrorism.
Mr. Ghannouchi reached an agreement in 2013 with the leading secularist politician, Béji Caïd Essebsi, for Ennahda to cede power to a caretaker government before fresh elections. Mr. Ghannouchi reached an agreement in 2013 with the leading secularist politician, Beji Caid Essebsi, for Ennahda to cede power to a caretaker government before new elections.
The agreement helped usher in a new constitution. The agreement helped usher in a new Constitution.
Though Ennahda was beaten in elections in 2014 by Mr. Essebsi’s party, Nidaa Tounes, Mr. Ghannouchi was widely credited with having secured his party a permanent position in Tunisian politics.Though Ennahda was beaten in elections in 2014 by Mr. Essebsi’s party, Nidaa Tounes, Mr. Ghannouchi was widely credited with having secured his party a permanent position in Tunisian politics.
Mr. Essebsi went on to win the presidency in December 2014, and he has remained a close ally of Mr. Ghannouchi, who has never held any public office.Mr. Essebsi went on to win the presidency in December 2014, and he has remained a close ally of Mr. Ghannouchi, who has never held any public office.
The president attended the opening rally of Ennadha’s party congress in Tunis, standing beside Mr. Ghannouchi and urging thousands of Ennahda supporters to participate in building a sovereign modern society. The president attended the opening rally of Ennahda’s party congress in Tunis, standing beside Mr. Ghannouchi and urging thousands of Ennahda supporters to participate in building a sovereign modern society.
“Islam is never in contradiction with democracy,” he said to widespread applause.“Islam is never in contradiction with democracy,” he said to widespread applause.
Ennahda remains a critical element in the political stability of the country, and has emerged once again with the most seats in Parliament after a breakup this year of the secular Nidaa Tounes party.Ennahda remains a critical element in the political stability of the country, and has emerged once again with the most seats in Parliament after a breakup this year of the secular Nidaa Tounes party.
Mr. Ghannouchi has repeatedly called on his followers to put national stability and security ahead of party interests, but now Ennahda is evidently looking ahead to municipal elections scheduled for May 2017.Mr. Ghannouchi has repeatedly called on his followers to put national stability and security ahead of party interests, but now Ennahda is evidently looking ahead to municipal elections scheduled for May 2017.
Party members overwhelmingly expressed their support for the motion to separate political affairs of the party from religious and cultural activities, albeit with the understanding that Islam remains the party’s ideological foundation.Party members overwhelmingly expressed their support for the motion to separate political affairs of the party from religious and cultural activities, albeit with the understanding that Islam remains the party’s ideological foundation.
“Before we were afraid for our identity,” Mohammad Krad, a party member from the island of Djerba, said as he left the rally last Friday. “Now we have a Constitution that says we are Arab and Muslim, so we do not need restate it in our politics.”“Before we were afraid for our identity,” Mohammad Krad, a party member from the island of Djerba, said as he left the rally last Friday. “Now we have a Constitution that says we are Arab and Muslim, so we do not need restate it in our politics.”
More than 1,000 representatives gathered Saturday for two days of vigorous debate at the congress in the beach resort town of Hammamet.More than 1,000 representatives gathered Saturday for two days of vigorous debate at the congress in the beach resort town of Hammamet.
The decision to separate Ennahda’s religious, cultural and social mission from the party’s political activities had been in the works for a year and a half, and passed with more than 80 percent of the party vote, said Rafik Abdessalem, Ennahda’s head of external relations and Mr. Ghannouchi’s son-in-law.The decision to separate Ennahda’s religious, cultural and social mission from the party’s political activities had been in the works for a year and a half, and passed with more than 80 percent of the party vote, said Rafik Abdessalem, Ennahda’s head of external relations and Mr. Ghannouchi’s son-in-law.
The topic of greatest debate — and the closest vote — was over whether the party’s executive council should be elected by the congress or appointed by Mr. Ghannouchi and confirmed by the congress. Mr. Ghannouchi eventually won that vote too. The topic of greatest debate — and the closest vote — was over whether the party’s executive council should be elected by the congress or appointed by Mr. Ghannouchi and confirmed by the congress. Mr. Ghannouchi eventually won that vote, too.