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Tunisian President Looks for Help in Sustaining Arab Spring Progress Tunisian President Looks for Help in Sustaining Arab Spring Progress
(about 22 hours later)
CARTHAGE, Tunisia — The test facing Beji Caid Essebsi, 88, who swept to victory in December in Tunisia’s first free and fair presidential election, might daunt a leader of any generation: to consolidate democratic gains, transform the economy and sustain the lone success story of the Arab Spring uprisings. CARTHAGE, Tunisia — The test facing Beji Caid Essebsi, 88, who swept to victory in December in Tunisia’s first free and fair presidential election, might daunt a leader of any generation: to consolidate democratic gains, transform the economy and sustain the lone success story of the Arab Spring uprisings.
For the young revolutionaries who brought down Tunisia’s longtime dictator four years ago, Mr. Essebsi represents a return of the old government and old ways of doing things. Yet Bejbouj, as his supporters affectionately called him, has won the trust of many Tunisians with his call for a strong state and a modern secular society, in contrast with two chaotic years of rule by Ennahda, the Islamist party that won power after the uprising.For the young revolutionaries who brought down Tunisia’s longtime dictator four years ago, Mr. Essebsi represents a return of the old government and old ways of doing things. Yet Bejbouj, as his supporters affectionately called him, has won the trust of many Tunisians with his call for a strong state and a modern secular society, in contrast with two chaotic years of rule by Ennahda, the Islamist party that won power after the uprising.
“We have managed to initiate a democratic process, which is very rare — we are the only country now like that,” Mr. Essebsi said in an interview last week at the ornately tiled presidential palace overlooking the harbor of ancient Carthage. “But if we want what we have achieved not to be threatened, we must keep going forward, working well, and above all we must keep making progress on the economic side.”“We have managed to initiate a democratic process, which is very rare — we are the only country now like that,” Mr. Essebsi said in an interview last week at the ornately tiled presidential palace overlooking the harbor of ancient Carthage. “But if we want what we have achieved not to be threatened, we must keep going forward, working well, and above all we must keep making progress on the economic side.”
Mr. Essebsi is scheduled to travel to the United States to meet with President Obama on Thursday, and he is due in Germany a week later as a guest at a meeting of the Group of 7 major industrial economies.Mr. Essebsi is scheduled to travel to the United States to meet with President Obama on Thursday, and he is due in Germany a week later as a guest at a meeting of the Group of 7 major industrial economies.
He will be celebrated there for Tunisia’s successes. But he will also be appealing, discreetly, for help, as his government prepares for a costly structural overhaul of the economy to free it from stultifying state control, attract foreign investment and create jobs, a central demand of the revolution.He will be celebrated there for Tunisia’s successes. But he will also be appealing, discreetly, for help, as his government prepares for a costly structural overhaul of the economy to free it from stultifying state control, attract foreign investment and create jobs, a central demand of the revolution.
“Tunisia has its problems, security problems and economic problems,” Mr. Essebsi said in the interview. “We are in a very difficult situation, and if Tunisia is going to get out of that, we need support.”“Tunisia has its problems, security problems and economic problems,” Mr. Essebsi said in the interview. “We are in a very difficult situation, and if Tunisia is going to get out of that, we need support.”
A diminutive, slightly frail figure wearing suits he no longer quite fills, Mr. Essebsi has emerged as a canny politician with the experience and determination to trounce his opponents.A diminutive, slightly frail figure wearing suits he no longer quite fills, Mr. Essebsi has emerged as a canny politician with the experience and determination to trounce his opponents.
A lawyer by training, Mr. Essebsi was a close ally of Habib Bourguiba, Tunisia’s first president after independence in 1956, and served as Mr. Bourguiba’s interior minister and then foreign minister. Under Mr. Bourguiba’s successor, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, Mr. Essebsi was briefly head of Parliament, but he retired in 1991, before the worst excesses of Mr. Ben Ali’s corrupt and increasingly authoritarian tenure.A lawyer by training, Mr. Essebsi was a close ally of Habib Bourguiba, Tunisia’s first president after independence in 1956, and served as Mr. Bourguiba’s interior minister and then foreign minister. Under Mr. Bourguiba’s successor, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, Mr. Essebsi was briefly head of Parliament, but he retired in 1991, before the worst excesses of Mr. Ben Ali’s corrupt and increasingly authoritarian tenure.
He returned to public life as interim prime minister after Mr. Ben Ali was driven from office in 2011, demonstrating even-handedness in running elections for a constituent assembly and handing over power afterward.He returned to public life as interim prime minister after Mr. Ben Ali was driven from office in 2011, demonstrating even-handedness in running elections for a constituent assembly and handing over power afterward.
Mr. Essebsi then became co-founder of a political party, Nidaa Tounes (Call for Tunisia), and after two political assassinations in 2013 prompted protests, he led a movement to oust the increasingly unpopular Islamist-led government.Mr. Essebsi then became co-founder of a political party, Nidaa Tounes (Call for Tunisia), and after two political assassinations in 2013 prompted protests, he led a movement to oust the increasingly unpopular Islamist-led government.
But in contrast to Egypt, where the military seized power and cracked down violently on the country’s elected Islamists, Tunisia managed a negotiated if fractious transfer of power, largely thanks to Mr. Essebsi.But in contrast to Egypt, where the military seized power and cracked down violently on the country’s elected Islamists, Tunisia managed a negotiated if fractious transfer of power, largely thanks to Mr. Essebsi.
At the height of the tensions in 2013, as the country teetered on the edge of civil strife, Mr. Essebsi held a series of private meetings with Rached Ghannouchi, the 77-year-old leader of Ennahda, to break the political impasse. The two men have continued to meet periodically ever since. At the height of the tensions in 2013, as the country teetered on the edge of civil strife, Mr. Essebsi held a series of private meetings with Rached Ghannouchi, the 73-year-old leader of Ennahda, to break the political impasse. The two men have continued to meet periodically ever since.
Mr. Essebsi does not take all the credit for the peaceful transition. “We are lucky we do not have a powerful army,” he said. But his readiness to recognize the Islamists’ place in politics and engage with them made a democratic solution possible.Mr. Essebsi does not take all the credit for the peaceful transition. “We are lucky we do not have a powerful army,” he said. But his readiness to recognize the Islamists’ place in politics and engage with them made a democratic solution possible.
“In reality, Ennahda is a party for the political scene that we are in now,” he said in the interview.“In reality, Ennahda is a party for the political scene that we are in now,” he said in the interview.
His party won the most seats in the October 2014 parliamentary election and now leads a coalition government. But Ennahda remains the second-largest party, and holds one cabinet post. “For now, we cohabit together, we accept them, and they accept us,” said Mr. Essebsi, who stepped down as party leader. “So far, it is working.”His party won the most seats in the October 2014 parliamentary election and now leads a coalition government. But Ennahda remains the second-largest party, and holds one cabinet post. “For now, we cohabit together, we accept them, and they accept us,” said Mr. Essebsi, who stepped down as party leader. “So far, it is working.”
Mr. Essebsi said in the interview that he, a convinced secularist, could work with Ennahda because the party had put the Islamist parts of its agenda aside.Mr. Essebsi said in the interview that he, a convinced secularist, could work with Ennahda because the party had put the Islamist parts of its agenda aside.
“Ennahda, bit by bit, is becoming Tunisified,” he said. “It must continue like that. As soon as they feel there is a weakness in the government or the state, and they come back, then at that moment we will also come back and fight them.”“Ennahda, bit by bit, is becoming Tunisified,” he said. “It must continue like that. As soon as they feel there is a weakness in the government or the state, and they come back, then at that moment we will also come back and fight them.”
Still recovering from 60 years of dictatorship, Tunisian society remains deeply fractured. Politically, secularists, including vocal leftists and Arab nationalists, contend with Islamists, who won 27 percent of the vote in 2014. Socially, a rich elite living in the coastal cities is divided from the poor, underdeveloped inland regions where the revolution began and where popular unrest continues.Still recovering from 60 years of dictatorship, Tunisian society remains deeply fractured. Politically, secularists, including vocal leftists and Arab nationalists, contend with Islamists, who won 27 percent of the vote in 2014. Socially, a rich elite living in the coastal cities is divided from the poor, underdeveloped inland regions where the revolution began and where popular unrest continues.
Mr. Essebsi has called for reconciliation by emphasizing patriotism above party politics. It is a message he is also turning to in seeking to resolve the region’s most pressing problem, the collapse of Libya, where warring factions are tearing the country apart and where extremist groups, arms traffickers and human traffickers are exploiting the chaos.Mr. Essebsi has called for reconciliation by emphasizing patriotism above party politics. It is a message he is also turning to in seeking to resolve the region’s most pressing problem, the collapse of Libya, where warring factions are tearing the country apart and where extremist groups, arms traffickers and human traffickers are exploiting the chaos.
Tunisia is already battling an Islamist insurgency in its western border region, and it is struggling to prevent weapons and militants from infiltrating the country from Libya. The two attackers responsible for killing 21 foreign tourists at the National Bardo Museum in March were trained in Libya, Mr. Essebsi said.Tunisia is already battling an Islamist insurgency in its western border region, and it is struggling to prevent weapons and militants from infiltrating the country from Libya. The two attackers responsible for killing 21 foreign tourists at the National Bardo Museum in March were trained in Libya, Mr. Essebsi said.
He said that United Nations-sponsored talks among the Libyan factions were moving too slowly, but that he opposed military intervention in Libya. Foreign interference is aggravating the divisions there, he said, and “if we cut Libya in two, we would double the problems, not resolve them.”He said that United Nations-sponsored talks among the Libyan factions were moving too slowly, but that he opposed military intervention in Libya. Foreign interference is aggravating the divisions there, he said, and “if we cut Libya in two, we would double the problems, not resolve them.”
Aides say Mr. Essebsi is ready to play a greater role in finding a solution for Libya. He has met with representatives of the three main factions in the country and called for a broader dialogue that would include all of Libya’s immediate neighbors. “That obviously takes time,” he said. “But there is no other solution. There is no military solution.”Aides say Mr. Essebsi is ready to play a greater role in finding a solution for Libya. He has met with representatives of the three main factions in the country and called for a broader dialogue that would include all of Libya’s immediate neighbors. “That obviously takes time,” he said. “But there is no other solution. There is no military solution.”
He said the Libyan factions were so busy fighting one another that none were addressing the presence of extremists in Libya, including adherents of the Islamic State. “For the moment, each is excluding the other,” he said of the Libyan factions. “I think they are now going to understand that if they are patriots, they should come to an agreement. But they are not all patriots.”He said the Libyan factions were so busy fighting one another that none were addressing the presence of extremists in Libya, including adherents of the Islamic State. “For the moment, each is excluding the other,” he said of the Libyan factions. “I think they are now going to understand that if they are patriots, they should come to an agreement. But they are not all patriots.”