Chebbi vows to pursue Tunisian presidential campaign

28/07/2008

Tunisian opposition figure Ahmed Nejib Chebbi wasted no time in responding vigorously to the adoption of a temporary constitutional amendment that would block him from running for president in 2009.

By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 28/07/08

[Getty Images] Tunisian opposition figure Ahmed Nejib Chebbi announced his rejection of a temporary constitutional amendment that would block him from running for president in 2009.

Tunisia's Parliament adopted an amendment to the constitution on Thursday (July 24th) which would prohibit Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, former Secretary-General of the opposition Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), from running in the 2009 presidential election.

Only five deputies opposed the bill, which limits presidential candidates to elected leaders of political parties who on the day of the presidential election have held their position for two years. The amendment also lowers the voting age from 20 to 18.

The bill effectively blocks Chebbi from running for president because Maya Jribi took over the party in 2006. Chebbi remains an important leader in the party, and continues to work as editor-in-chief of al-Mawkif, the PDP's mouthpiece.

In a statement issued Friday, Chebbi said the law targeted him expressly after his party nominated him in February to run in next year's election.

"The first consequence of this law is to confiscate my right to run for the next presidential elections and to try to exclude me from this political race after the PDP decided to nominate me in this election."

"Out of my feeling of my national responsibility, I announce my rejection of this unjust law that is in contradiction with republican values, constitutional principles and all relevant international standards," the statement continued, "and I cling to my right to run for the 2009 presidential elections.

Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi told parliamentary deputies that the amendment was temporary and that it consisted of extraordinary rules which would expire at the end of the election period.

Faced with calls from several deputies who described the maneuver as unconstitutional, Ghannouchi responded by asserting, "This procedure is constitutional, and any claim otherwise is some sort of a mix-up."

The law allows for independents who are not heads of parties to run in the election, provided they obtain the recommendation of 30 MPs. This would be difficult to accomplish, given the fractured nature of the country's 37 opposition MPs and the domination of President Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally.

MP Mustapha Bouawaja of nationalist opposition People's Unity Party inquired about the purpose of the new legislation: "If it is for democracy, then democracy requires, first of all, the freedom to choose. The first of these freedoms is the candidate's freedom to choose himself!"

Adel Chaouch, an MP from the Ettajdid Movement, said "This is the third time we resort to extraordinary rules. This means that the constitutional chapter has a problem, and, therefore, must be replaced with a fixed paragraph." Chaouch called for a compromise which would enable parties without parliamentary representation to propose candidates for the election.

Chebbi said that in the coming days, he and his party would "examine the situation in light of this unjust law and the necessary moves that should be taken to support our action for reform and change in our country".