Fakhfakh says Ennahdha, Qalb Tounes behind political crisis in Tunisia

Tunisia’s caretaker PM accuses two political parties and other influential parties in the areas of smuggling and informal trade of being behind political crisis that Tunisia is currently going through.

TUNIS – Tunisia’s caretaker Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh accused political parties of Ennahdha and Qalb Tounes of being plunging the North African country into a political crisis.

Fakhfakh stepped down after less than five months in office, threatening fresh political deadlock as Tunisia battles the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

In an interview with Express FM, Fakhfakh said that the Ennahdha movement, Qalb Tounes and other influential parties in the areas of smuggling and informal trade were behind the political crisis that Tunisia is currently going through.

“What is happening today is a struggle between reform and conservatives who put their interests ahead of the national interest,” said Fakhfakh, adding that Ennahdha had joined the conservative camp because “it sees power as booty”.

Fakhfakh said Ennahdha, which is led by Rached Ghannouchi, never supported him and that it was forced to vote for his government in parliament to avoid the dissolution of the assembly.

Fakhfakh's resignation came as a political row deepened with the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, the largest in parliament, over allegations of conflict of interest.

Relations between the 47-year-old outgoing premier and Ennahdha have been strained since October legislative elections.

The process of appointing a new Prime Minister is triggering some tension as Tunisian President Kais Saied warned against “the plots being hatched against Tunisia, by external parties with internal complicity.”

Saïed vowed on Tuesday to firmly apply the law against any attempt to harm Tunisia and its legality during his visit to the special forces regiment of the national army in Menzel Jamil and to the headquarters of the Interior Ministry.

“The Tunisian military armed forces are ready at any time and in any place to confront with force all those who want to undermine the Tunisian state or think, if only by a simple reflection, to transgress the legality,” Saied warned.