Tunisia-Rached Ghannouchi: “My disagreement with the President of Republic is “normal” under pluralism of powers”

Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives (HPR) and Ennahdha movement President Rached Ghannouchi considered, on Monday, in a TV interview broadcast by the Nessma TV channel, that his last telephone conversation with Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj is a protocolary one, in line with Tunisia’s official position.” He added “that Al-Sarraj stressed, during this conversation, the need for a ” Libyan-Libyan ” settlement of the conflict in his country.”

Ghannouchi indicated that “the meeting with Al-Sarraj, Head of the Government of National Accord of Libya, was at the initiative of the latter and could be considered as a visa to Libya for Tunisian workers, traders, farmers, entrepreneurs and businessmen,” affirming the need to “assert positive neutrality in relation to this issue, especially as the major powers are now competing for the reconstruction of Libya.”

The conversation between Ghannouchi and Al-Sarraj was behind the motion presented by the Free Destourian Party (PDL) regarding the rejection of all foreign interference in Libya’s affairs, which was discussed during the plenary session of June 3, 2020.

Regarding his relationship with President of the Republic Kais Saïed, Ghannouchi acknowledged “the existence of a dispute” which he described as “normal given the pluralism of powers enshrined in the new political regime based on the distribution of powers,” emphasising that “the most important thing is to assert national unity.

He added that “the President of the Republic has criticised the parliament, within the framework of the constitution, and has in no way called for its dissolution.”

As regards partisan tourism, Ghannouchi said that “the Ennahdha movement advocates putting an end to this kind of political corruption, as well as changing the HPR’s rules of procedure and amending the electoral law which is primarily responsible for resignations within the parties and movements between the parliamentary blocs.”

He further indicated that “the Shura Council will decide at its next meeting on the date of the movement’s congress which has been delayed due to the coronavirus crisis.”

He further stated that he will soon present a new composition of the executive board of the movement to the Shura Council.