Proposed Referendum Exposes High-Stakes Power Struggle
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By Meriem Dhaouadi and Allan Bradley
The recent proposal to hold a referendum in parallel with the October 23rd elections for the constituent assembly has created controversy in Tunisia’s political scene and civil society. Bewilderment has taken hold of Tunisians struggling to get through a smooth transition.
Initiators of the project say that voters should vote for the members of the constituent assembly as planned and also vote to limit the assembly’s specific powers and duration. At a meeting with Prime Minister Beji Caed Essebsi on August 27th, a delegation of the Republican Consensus Party (RCP) recommended the mechanism of a watchdog referendum.
Who is behind the referendum?
The Republican Consensus Party, widely called “the RCD in new clothing,” have emphasized the importance of the referendum to promote the formal framework for the working of the Constituent Assembly.
“Our country will never endure again 3 or 4 years of negotiations and unsteadiness on the economic, political or social level,” stated Mondher Bel Haj, spokesman of the RCP to Al Chourouk newspaper. “Thus we should curtail the term of the Assembly and define their responsibility.”
Many parties have expressed support for the referendum as a way of preventing the constituent assembly from taking advantage of its status as the first authentically elected body to seize additional authority beyond its original purpose: drafting a constitution.
Who says “no” to the referendum?
In a live talk show on Hannibal TV, Noureddine El Bhoury, a representative of Ennahda, fiercely denounced the referendum scheme and accused its advocates of “playing their last card” to contain the gains of the revolution. Ennahda is expected to perform well in the October 23rd election and gain a significant number of seats in the assembly.
The leader of the Congress for the Republic Party, Moncef Marzouki, published a similar opinion on his blog.
Who supports the referendum?
The most prominent party to support the referendum is the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). In some cases, party leaders are close to the current interim government, which stands to lose influence to the constituent assembly after October 23rd. PDP party leader Ahmed Nejib Chebbi served as Minister of Regional Development until March 1st. Many observers note that his resignation came shortly after the announcement that no ministers of the interim government could run in upcoming elections.
The PDP has also seen some internal divisions and public criticism recently, so they may be feeling relatively weak heading into the constituent assembly elections. Holding the constituent assembly to its original, limited purpose could allow them to regroup and prepare for whatever legislative election follows.
The Public
Events calling for demonstrations against the referendum have developed on social media and continue to grow, but confusion reigns.
As unrest persists in some parts of Tunisia, any interruptions to the elections remain a huge concern for Tunisians. After five decades of dictators using and manipulating elections for their own purposes, Tunisians are inexperienced in free and fair elections. The public remains confused and divided over the role of the constituent assembly and whether or not they should support the referendum.
The short time frame remaining before the October 23rd elections adds additional urgency and fear to the discussion.
