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Articles by Mohamed Ali Litfi
Tunisians celebrate landmark ruling against president
TUNIS, Tunisia — A Tunisian court set a major precedent recently by ruling against the country's president in a lawsuit he had filed claiming an activist's comments threatened and offended him. Many legislators and activists alike are praising the outcome. An Arabic hashtag meaning “Tunisia is better after the revolution” has cropped up on social media eight years after the Jasmine Revolution, which marked the beginning of the Arab Spring and toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
What lies in store for Tunisian government in the wake of protests?
TUNIS — Tunisia’s powerful labor union, known as the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), announced Jan. 19 its plan to hold a general strike on Feb. 20-21 if they did not reach an agreement with Prime Minister Youssef Chahed’s government on a salary increase for public servants. The UGTT’s announcement foretells an escalating crisis with the Tunisian government, especially since a February strike would be the second one to be held by the union since the start of this year. On Jan.
Tunisia's Ennahda party faces more assassination allegations
TUNIS, Tunisia — Allegations are flying in Tunisia as the president and a political party have exchanged perceived threats, and a group investigating assassinations dropped a bombshell of speculation. In a Nov. 29 speech to the Tunisian National Security Council in Carthage, President Beji Caid Essebsi accused the Ennahda political party of personally threatening him. He said he will not let this threat pass and will resort to the judiciary in this regard. Essebsi was responding to Ennahda’s Nov.
Woman tapped as head of Presidential Diwan in Tunisia
TUNIS, Tunisia — Salma Elloumi Rekik assumed her post as head of the presidential diwan Nov. 1. She replaced Salim Elezabi, who resigned Oct. 9 due to his opposing the policy adopted by Hafez Caid Essebsi, the executive director of Nidaa Tunis and son of President Beji Caid Essebsi. Rekik, a 62-year-old businesswoman, served as minister of tourism and handicrafts for three years.
Ennahda faces new allegations in Tunisian political murders
TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia's main Islamist political party, Ennahda, is denying that information recently brought to light shows it was behind the 2013 assassinations of politicians Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi. On Oct.
Tunisian Parliament to consider criminalizing racial discrimination
TUNISIA — In an Aug. 29 joint press conference with the Association of Ivorian Students and Interns in Tunisia, Yemina Thabet, the head of the Tunisian Association for the Support of Minorities, called on the Tunisian Parliament to speed up the ratification of the draft law criminalizing racism. Eight Ivorians were physically and verbally abused by Tunisians in late August.
Tunisian parties begin premature electoral race
TUNIS, Tunisia — Leila Hammami, a Tunisian university professor, researcher and consultant to international organizations in Britain, declared she will run in next year’s Tunisian presidential election, after her candidacy was rejected in 2014. In an interview with Russian news agency Sputnik July 16, Hammami said it was time for women to take up important positions in the state, including the position of president.
Tunisian economy continues to struggle
TUNIS — More than any time in the country's past, Tunisia must now engage in reforms to ease the financial and economic strains affecting its trade and balance of payments, according to the governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia, Marouane el-Abassi. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) this month approved the fourth tranche of its $2.8 billion loan to Tunisia, which was arranged in 2016. The $250 million payment brings IMF's total loans to Tunisia so far to approximately $1.14 billion.
Tunisian women win at polls but long road remains
TUNIS, Tunisia — The Independent High Authority for Elections said May 9 that Tunisian women accounted for 47.7% of the total number of winners and headed 29.55% of the lists in the May 6 municipal elections. These elections, the first after the ousting of the Zine El Abidine Ben Ali regime, constituted a great opportunity for young women in Tunisia to make history and fill positions in political decision-making circles and local government.
Teacher strike puts Tunisian kids' year of studies at risk
TUNIS, Tunisia — Teachers in Tunisia moved out of their classrooms and into the streets recently, hoping yet another strike would teach a lesson to those who control public education's purse strings.
Tunisian president denies plan to dismiss PM
In a statement on the sidelines of the National Symposium on Major Reforms held April 11 in Gammarth, a northern suburb of Tunis, Saida Garrach, the spokeswoman for the Tunisian president, confirmed that the president does not wish to fire Prime Minister Youssef Chahed. “Talks about President Beji Caid Essebsi’s intentions to dismiss Chahed are politically baseless. Some Tunisian political parties are trying to foment trouble,” Garrach said in statement to Shems FM radio.
Young Tunisians have high hopes for May's municipal elections
TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia is getting ready to hold its first municipal elections since the 2011 revolution. While the general poll is scheduled for May 6 (with soldiers and members of the security services set to vote Apr. 29), past postponements have raised fears among activists of further delays.
EU deals Tunisia another heavy blow
TUNIS, Tunisia — The European Parliament has added Tunisia to its list of countries at “high risk” of money laundering and terrorist financing. The Feb. 7 measure raised public and official discontent. Tunisia Central Bank Gov. Chadli Ayari submitted his resignation hours before a vote on his dismissal on Feb. 15. The following day, World Bank official Marouane Al Abbasi was appointed by the Tunisian Parliament as his successor.
Dominos start to tumble in Tunis
TUNIS — The national unity government in Tunisia threatens to collapse amid dwindling political support, with the Republican Party, the Afek Tounes Party and the Machrou Tounes movement backtracking on the Carthage Document Jan. 18. This document was the basis upon which the national unity government, headed by Youssef Chahed, was formed. Meanwhile, the Free Patriotic Union, which had previously withdrawn from the document, has now decided to renew its support for it.
Does Tunisia's police protection bill go too far?
Tunisia's parliament has resurrected a long-buried draft bill addressing police protection that once again is raising fears that the country will return to a "police state." The proposal is designed to prevent attacks on and abuse of police and customs officials and, ostensibly, guarantee the stability of society at large. During a Nov.
Egypt opposition MP: resigning over island transfer 'no longer useful'
An Egyptian woman celebrates with a national flag defaced with the words "Tiran" and "Sanafir" after the High Administrative Court upheld a ruling voiding a government agreement to hand over the two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 16, 2017.
Europe must adopt long-term vision for trade with Iran
Business is increasingly intermixed with politics in Iran’s relations with the world — to the potential detriment to both. For instance, recent developments in bilateral ties indicate that Iran’s longtime economic partner Germany is keen to take advantage of the opening provided by the nuclear deal. At a June 27 meeting with his Iranian counterpart in Berlin, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said his country is eager to bring investment into Iran.
Protests grow over police actions in Morocco
Protesters from Al-Hirak al-Shaabi, or "Popular Movement," chant during a demonstration against corruption, repression and unemployment in Morocco's northern town of Imzouren, June 11, 2017. (photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images) Demonstrations that have rocked Morocco’s northern region of Rif for eight months have worsened of late. With a police crackdown, peaceful protests have turned into violent clashes.
Tunisia can only afford neutrality in Qatar crisis
Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi (R) and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attend the opening of the international investment conference Tunisia 2020, in Tunis, Nov. 29, 2016. (photo by REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi) The ruling coalition of Ennahda and Nidaa Tunis has adopted a neutral stance in the Gulf crisis triggered by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt severing diplomatic relations with Qatar on June 5 and imposing a land and air blockade against it.
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