With Elections, Tunisia's Young Democracy Moves to the Next Stage

In 2011, a young street vendor in Tunisia, harassed by police, set himself on fire. As the flames engulfed his body, they ignited a revolution that led to the overthrow of the North African country’s autocratic President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. That was the start of the Arab Spring which quickly spread throughout the region — with chaotic results. But Tunisia’s transition to democracy has remained on track; the country has a new constitution. Its first parliamentary elections in October were orderly and transparent, and a month later the country went to the polls again to choose its first elected president, with a run-off in December won by Beji Caid Essebsi, 88-year-old leader of the secular party Nidaa Tounes, which had earlier won the parliamentary election. But, as Tunisia’s ambassador to Washington, Mohamed Ezzine Chleyfa, suggested in an interview with Diplomatic Connections shortly before the presidential run-off ,there are built-in uncertainties in the political situation. Nidaa Tounes, beat the Tunisian Islamist party Ennahda. The result was a significant achievement for the secularist front, but also reflected voter dissatisfaction with the outgoing Ennahda government’s poor performance. Ambassador Chleyfa said the Tunisian Islamist party had stepped down earlier in 2014 on the advice of Egypt’s deposed President Mohamed Morsi, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, to avoid a similar crisis in Tunisia as the one that led to an army takeover in Egypt. However, the secularists will need allies to form a coalition government. One option was a national unity government with Ennahda to introduce badly needed tough economic reforms, and to deal with growing Islamist militancy. Al-Qaeda surrogates remained active, mainly on the mountainous borders with Algeria, and Tunisia — with U.S. help — needed to strengthen its security forces to cope with the threat. Still, Tunisia remains an inspiring model of how democracy can take root in an Arab country.

Diplomatic Connections: It was events in Tunisia that ignited the Arab Spring in 2011. Would you talk a little about why it happened in Tunisia, and how that came about?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Why in Tunisia — because I think Tunisia has specificities and assets that enabled the country to start a new democratic transition. Tunisia has a homogenous population and a long tradition of moderation. The Tunisian people are educated, and there is a large middle class. Women have rights and are emancipated. All these assets explain what happened in Tunisia. And there were some other factors such as the vibrant role of the Tunisian civil society, which has been the vital force and the cornerstone of the democratic transition.

Diplomatic Connections: What about the political dimension?

Ambassador Chleyfa: The second factor perhaps is the moderation of the Islamist party. Ennahda was the first Islamist party in the Arab world to start the political transformation from a religious party to a civil party. It has started it, but it will take time. The third factor was the Tunisian army, which is politically a very neutral army, and not really interested in assuming power. Another factor was the removal of President Mohamed Morsi [leader of the Muslim Brotherhood] in Egypt. Morsi had convinced Ennahda to step down in order to avoid a similar crisis in Tunisia and allow the political process to take its course. I think all these aspects and factors can explain the role of Tunisia.

Diplomatic Connections: Could you elaborate on your reference to President Morsi?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Nearly four years ago, Ennahda won the first free election in Tunisia for a constituent assembly. Morsi persuaded the Islamist party that its platform was not very popular and could generate bad scenarios [such as in Egypt], and induced Ennahda to step aside as the only way to stay in the political arena.

Diplomatic Connections: But you have recently had new elections. Ennahda, the Islamists, lost their old majority, and the new party Nidaa Tounes has a relative majority, which must represent a shift in public sentiment?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Yes, absolutely. In the October 26 legislative elections, Tunisia achieved a major historic breakthrough, finalizing a difficult and painful democratic transition and opening the door for a new process of democratic consolidation. The election was peaceful. There was a satisfactory turnout of around 65 percent, and the elections were free, fair and transparent according to the international observers. And what is important is that the result has been accepted by all the parties, and there’s been a peaceful changeover of power for the first time in the region. The electorate used the vote in order to give Nidaa Tounes its big chance, and to sanction Ennahda for its poor record in office, mainly in security and economic affairs.

Diplomatic Connections: So Nidaa Tounes, which did not win an absolute majority, now faces the challenge of forming a government.

Ambassador Chleyfa: No party has the majority to form a government and a coalition is necessary. They’re going to have to negotiate with other parties.

Diplomatic Connections: What is the likeliest scenario when it comes to forming the government?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Actually, there are three scenarios. The first is a national unity government with Ennahda and Nidaa Tounes which will result in a large majority. Ennahda is in favor of this option, but Nidaa Tounes seems to be reluctant because some of its supporters are against it. The second scenario is a technocratic government, in order to carry out bold reforms, but neither the supporters of Ennahda or Nidaa Tounes are very supportive of this. There is a strong desire for a responsible government. The third scenario is a coalition of Nidaa Tounes and the so-called secular family. This is possible, but the coalition will then have a very small majority, perhaps not enough to carry out the reforms needed, and Ennahda will be in opposition.

Diplomatic Connections: How do Tunisians feel about having started the Arab Spring?

Ambassador Chleyfa: They feel very proud, but it was very painful and a very difficult time. But thanks to the maturity of the political class and the vibrant role of the civil society, and thanks to inclusiveness of the national dialogue, I think Tunisia has proven that moderate Islam and democracy can coexist in the Arab world.

Diplomatic Connections: How different is the new constitution from the old one?

Ambassador Chleyfa: It’s completely different. It’s a combined system of presidential and parliamentary government, with two heads of the executive power; the prime minister who is elected in the parliamentary elections, and who has to belong to the biggest elected party, and the president elected by the people. We chose this formula in order to create a division of powers, but the president still has a lot of power.

Diplomatic Connections: What are the major problems that the new Tunisian government will face? You talked about bold reforms. What reforms are you referring to?

Ambassador Chleyfa: The major problem is to form a coalition, and it will have two big challenges in order to conserve and consolidate this emergent democracy — the security challenge and the economic challenge. We need to carry out major reforms on budget, on taxes, on the bank sector, on subsidies. These are very bold and could be unpopular.

Diplomatic Connections: What subsidies?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Bread, and gas and others. We need to cut some of these subsidies. And, of course, the security challenge. Security has improved because our security forces are recovering and confronting terrorism. But residual terrorist groups remain on the Algerian border, and we have the big threat of Libya.

Diplomatic Connections: Isn’t the problem of Islamist radicals internal?

Ambassador Chleyfa: It’s internal, but it’s in the mountains between Tunisia and Algeria, where there is interaction between Algerian terror groups and Tunisian groups.

Diplomatic Connections: Are they linked to al-Qaeda?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Yes, we have Ansar al-Sharia, and the other group is AQIM [Al-Qaeda Islamic Maghreb].

Diplomatic Connections: Was either responsible for the assassination of two leading politicians, and also for killing several security people?

Ambassador Chleyfa: There was a recent shooting of security personnel in this area near the Algerian border. We have surrounded these groups, but they remain dangerous.

Diplomatic Connections: How does the current situation in Libya affect Tunisia?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Libya is a big concern for us, and a big threat because Tunisia has a large border with Libya. There are a lot of weapons, and a lot of arms trafficking going on across the border. Tunisians are very close to the Libyans, and the problem is that there are no longer any institutions in Libya with whom we can discuss the situation.

Diplomatic Connections: There’s also an economic factor, isn’t there, because a large number of Tunisians used to cross the border for work?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Yes, for work. But also, Libya is a big market for Tunisia. It’s the second largest market after the European Union, and this is the problem.

Diplomatic Connections: And so North Africa, the Maghreb, when you look at it from here, you have Morocco, which is stable and also going through its own democratization process, Libya in turmoil, Algeria?

Ambassador Chleyfa: With Algeria we have very good relations, and we have good security cooperation with the Algerians because they have expertise in dealing with extremist groups. The security of Algeria is the security of Tunisia, and vice-versa. Our cooperation reflects that.

Diplomatic Connections: At the same time, there are said to be 3,000 Tunisians fighting with the insurgents in Syria and Iraq. This is supposedly the largest group from any one country.

Ambassador Chleyfa: Yes, there is an unfortunate number of Tunisians with the Islamic State that’s partly explained by the weakness and the laxity of the Tunisian security forces during the post-Revolution era. After the Revolution, some institutions were weakened. It’s also the result of the economic and social frustration of young Tunisians, and their radicalization by some mosques in Tunisia, and the authorities couldn’t control it. But now, I think, the security forces are recovering and they are stopping the flow of potential terrorists.

Diplomatic Connections: Was there a need to reform the security forces?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Yes, the security forces, and especially the army, had been neglected for many decades. We have a very professional army, but there was a lack of equipment, and that is being put right. We have very good cooperation with the United States for training, equipment and sharing intelligence.

Diplomatic Connections: You mentioned just now that Europe was your biggest trading partner. What proportion of your trade is with Europe?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Eighty percent of Tunisian trade is with the EU, and we are part of the free trade arrangement with the EU. We would like to diversify our trade more in order not to be dependent on Europe.

Diplomatic Connections: What about tourism? How has that been impacted by the Revolution?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Tourism has been undermined by the Revolution but we are recovering, and we are reaching pre-Revolution levels, mainly with Europe. But each year more than a million Libyans visit Tunisia to get away from the turmoil in their own country, to drink a glass of wine. And many Algerians, too.

Diplomatic Connections: Where would you like to see improvement in the bi-lateral relationship with the United States?

Ambassador Chleyfa: We have the same strategic interests as the United States, and now the same values, too. In Washington in April, we launched with the administration a strategic dialogue mainly on economics and security. This year, it will be in Tunisia. We have a modest economic exchange. We would like to improve it. We have had U.S. assistance; the U.S. gave us loan guarantees, but we need an improvement in American investments and trade. For that, we are asking for a free trade agreement. We need this framework in order to attract more American investments, and to offer Tunisia to American firms as a gateway to the African market, and even the European market.

Diplomatic Connections: Does any Maghreb country have such a free trade agreement with the United States?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Yes, Morocco.

Diplomatic Connections: So you want something along the same lines?

Ambassador Chleyfa: Yes.

Diplomatic Connections: What is the size of Tunisian-U.S. trade?

Ambassador Chleyfa: It was $2 billion in 2011, which is very modest, and we’d like to increase it.

Diplomatic Connections: Tunisia was represented at the African Summit in August. What do you think were the results of that summit?

Ambassador Chleyfa: There was no tangible result, but we are starting a new process. We’re working with the American administration to create a summit follow-up mechanism on trade, security, in order to see some concrete results. There were small initiatives by President Obama, but there has to be a follow-on.

Diplomatic Connections: What is your impression of being an ambassador to Washington?

Ambassador Chleyfa: It’s a very challenging posting, and for a diplomat you have a ringside seat to every international situation. It’s very difficult being an ambassador during a transition. I’ve now had four governments, and you need to be neutral and represent the interests of your country. One result of the Revolution is that 99 percent of our ambassadors are now career diplomats — under the old regime there were a lot of political nominees.