The seizure of power by the Tunisian president has provoked many reactions over the past two weeks, in particular, that, very cautious, of Emmanuel Macron.
“France stands alongside Tunisia and the Tunisian people at this key moment for its sovereignty and freedom.” In a statement released on Saturday, the Elysee Palace used cautious words but expressed no criticism of Kaïs Saïed. Two weeks ago, the Tunisian president suspended the parliament led by the Islamist Ennahdha party and appropriated all powers.
Contacted by Liberation, the teacher-researcher at Paris-I and specialist in the Maghreb, Khadija Mohsen-Finan, underlines that “the enthusiasm [of Tunisians] for this coup by Saïed has rendered inaudible the criticisms on the concentration of powers and the absence of checks and balances. In an environment that is not conducive to debate, not supporting Saïed is equivalent to supporting Ennahdha. Emotion took precedence over reflection and finally, Macron responds to emotion with emotion.”
But other Western partners have been more critical of the Tunisian president’s coup, expressing their concern at the seizure of power by Kaïs Saïed. The White House thus insisted on “the urgency for the Tunisian leaders of a rapid return to the democratic way”. Joe Biden’s US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to the Tunisian president and told him of the immediate need for a new government headed by a prime minister to be formed. Across the Rhine, the reaction was similar, Germany called for a need to “find a constitutional order”.
“Democratic contagion”
“Each of the capitals reacted according to its history and its political regime,” notes Khadija Mohsen-Finan. Authoritarian countries, very hostile to the Muslim Brotherhood, strongly supported Kaïs Saïed while countries close to this movement and Ennahdha have voiced criticism. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry, for example, declared that Tunisia was living “a historic moment, undertaken by a person who attaches the highest importance to the values of democracy, the Constitution and the institutions”. “These executives put forward the fact that democracy means disorder, they are afraid of democratic contagion”, resumes the Maghreb specialist. For these regimes, Kaïs Saïed, who suspended the Parliament led by an Islamist party, is part of their approach. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune insisted on this fact by declaring that “Tunisia is on the way to finding solutions to its problems.”
On the contrary, Turkey and Qatar, close to Ennahda, have adopted a position of defiance in the face of the suspension of Parliament. Ankara has insisted on the fact that the Tunisian Parliament, “source of inspiration for the democratic transition in the region”, should continue its work. Doha, meanwhile, called on the parties to dialogue and “apply the laws of the land.” However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has avoided using the term coup d’etat as Ennahdha did. “Qatar and Turkey cannot frankly support Ennahdha by denouncing a coup, because that would close the door to a dialogue,” continues Khadija Mohsen-Finan. They follow a very nuanced position on this divided Islamist party and are blacklisted by a large part of the population. Noting that the popularity of their staunch ally Ennahda has eroded, the two countries have therefore adopted a more diplomatic approach in order to maintain a channel of communication with the Tunisian president.
