News / North Africa

Islamic party Ennahda joins Tunisia’s coalition government

Monday, 02 February 2015 1:39 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 02 February 2015 1:39 AM ]

Tunisia's Islamic party Ennahda leader Rashed Ghannouchi

Tunisia's Islamic party Ennahda has given its consent to join the vying secular party Nidaa Tounes in a coalition government aiming to bolster stability in the North African country.

Ennahda leader Rashed Ghannouchi made the announcement on Sunday following a meeting with Prime Minister Habib Essid.

"Ennahda will participate in the government... the future looks good," Ghannouchi said, refraining from revealing more details.

On January 5, Essid was tasked with forming a new government by President Beji Caid Essebsi, who won Tunisia's first free presidential election in December since independence from France in 1956.

The cabinet line-up, disclosed on Friday, consisted of figures from Nidaa Tounes and other smaller partners in the parliament. However, Ennahda was left out without being assigned any post.

Meanwhile, the line-up was feared to be rejected in the parliament by key parties, including Ennahda, which holds the second largest number of seats in the legislature.

The new cabinet, comprising of Nidaa Tounes, Afek Tounes, ULP party, and Ennahda, is expected to announced on Monday before it goes to the parliament for ratification on Wednesday.

Political sources speculate that two cabinet ministers and two state ministers from Ennahda will join the government.

The agreement helps reinforce stability in the country, which is in a transition period, four years after the uprising that ousted former dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.

The Nidaa Tounes secular party won the majority of the parliament’s seats in last October’s elections. Its leader, Essebsi, also won the presidency.

Tunisia, the birthplace of pro-democracy protests across North Africa and the Middle East, revolted against the Western-backed Ben Ali in 2011.

HJM/NT

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HJM/

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