Protests continued in Tunisia this week, with protesters demanding the resignation of members of the former ruling party from the transitional government and a timetable for elections, writes Mourad Teyeb in Tunis Following the flight of ousted former Tunisian president Zein Al-Abidine bin Ali to Saudi Arabia on 14 January, demonstrations have continued throughout the country demanding that officials from the former ruling party be removed from the transitional government. Tensions resumed in the capital Tunis, with scores of protesters from the provinces gathering in front of the prime minister's office shouting anti-government slogans and defying a nationwide curfew. Schools were due to reopen on Monday after being closed during the unrest, but teachers were on strike. The protesters are angry that remnants from the former regime still hold leading posts in the interim government that was announced early last week. "Transitions from one type of political system to another are not linear," commented US Middle East specialist Steven Cook. "They may not necessarily end up as liberal democracies." "They could end up as narrower, nastier dictatorships," said Jared Cohen from the US Council on Foreign Relations. "The next chapter of this hasn't been written yet. Tunisia could end up better off; it could end up worse; it could end up in a state of chaos." Tunisia's popular uprising has also claimed its latest victim, with the country's interim Prime Minister Mohamed Al-Ghanoushi announcing that he will leave politics after the elections planned for six months' time. There has been no sign of a let up in the demonstrations demanding a purge of politicians linked to the country's ousted president. This has left the country on a knife edge, with opposition supporters saying they will not stop their campaign until members of the old guard, once loyal to president Bin Ali, have been removed from power and others put on trial. In a television interview this week, Al-Ghanoushi said he would quit "in the shortest possible timeframe" and give up politics after stepping down from the transitional government. Al-Ghanoushi was a key figure under the former regime, meaning that he has struggled to restore calm under the new national-unity government. On Monday, Tunisian army chief Rashid Ammar warned against any "political vacuum" in the country, while also telling a crowd gathered at the prime minister's office that the army was the "guarantor of the revolution". "Together, we have achieved the most difficult thing. Now let us be patient for an additional six months to allow the country to return to stability," Ammar told a gathering of around 1,000 people outside his office. The main task of Tunisia's transitional government is to prepare for democratic elections later this year, a crucial job for which it must have people's faith. Without popular confidence, there could be turmoil and unrest at every stage of the political process. Preparing for genuinely democratic elections will also require a systematic review of the country's electoral laws and practices, deeply flawed after decades of dictatorship. According to Tunisian political analyst Ridha Kéfi, "great and sincere efforts must be made in order to create a level playing field for all political contestants." The government's announcement that it would be releasing political prisoners and lifting restrictions on press freedoms and the registration of human rights groups and political parties has been an important step forward, he believes. However, "this decision must be effectively and speedily implemented," Kéfi said. "Freedom of speech and assembly must be fully respected, so that people can freely express their opinions and organise political campaigns." According to Cook, "discussions on electoral reforms must include a wide range of stakeholders to agree on an improved framework to regulate the conduct of the elections. But given the urgency of the situation, the transitional government may be tempted to use the old electoral law or to proceed without consultation, two steps likely to undermine public and international trust in the integrity of the elections." "Transparency is required in all aspects of the process, and it must be open to scrutiny by the media, civil society and Tunisian and international election observers, as well as party representatives and candidates," Kéfi said, who runs the popular news website Kapitalis. "Most importantly, the election body should conduct elections in an open and consultative manner." The Tunisian political class agrees that the key issue now is how fast and correctly these aims can be achieved. According to the country's constitution, presidential elections need to take place by 15 March at the latest. This leaves little time to reform the electoral framework and give candidates the chance to become known to the electorate. However, the alternative would be to ignore the constitution and set a later date, which could undermine public and international trust in the integrity of the elections. For the stability of the country, it will be important to find consensus whatever decision is made. Following decades of repression, many Tunisians have become suspicious of political parties, and many parties will find it difficult to attract a following. For this reason, experts say, any new election system should allow independent candidates to compete. Proportional voting should also be used, in order to give all political entities a chance of representation. The elections will bring Tunisia to a crossroads, analysts say. If they are open and credible, they will create the confidence and legitimacy required for genuine long- term stability.
