NOVANEWS
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Tunisians shout slogans to demand tighter security within the country during a rally in front of the National Constituents Assembly in the Bardo district in Tunis, May 10, 2013. (photo by REUTERS/Anis Mili)
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Translated from El-Khabar (Algeria).
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The Sigma Conseil Market Research Co., a polling firm for the Tunisian Al-Maghreb newspaper, published results showing a drop in the popularity of the ruling Ennahda party. Most respondents said that if the elections are held now, they would vote for Nidaa Tunis, which came in first place. The poll estimated that Nidaa Tunis would get 90 of the 199 parliamentary seats, compared to 68 for Ennahda.
Al-Maghreb described those results as a “political earthquake” that threatens Ennahda, which was very popular at the revolution’s start. The poll showed that more than 70% of Tunisians are dissatisfied with the Ennahda-led government, especially regarding how it is handling the economy and the security situation.
Regarding the deteriorating security situation, the Tunisian union for the security forces declared that it will be organizing a national conference on terrorism in early July in which “all the institutions involved in Tunisia’s security will participate, starting with the Interior Ministry, the army, and other institutions that recently found themselves facing the phenomenon of religious extremism and terrorism.”
The conference is an attempt to coordinate the efforts of the institutions fighting the armed Salafist jihadist groups. The Secretary-General of the Tunisian Association for the Internal Security Forces Nabil al-Ayaari said that the conference will witness the participation of political and civil society figures, in addition to the security institutions, ‘‘in order to search for urgent solutions to save the security establishment.”
The conference comes at a time when Tunisia is witnessing the rise of a Salafist jihadist movement that is threatening to wage war against the state as a response to what Abu Ayad, the leader of the Salafist jihadist movement in Tunisia, called state harassment against Ansar al-Sharia. He accused the state of preventing organized gatherings by the group in public squares after Friday prayers, which have become known as “proselytizing tents.”
Observers believe that the tension between the jihadist movement and the Tunisian government rose after the Interior Ministry prevented Ansar al-Sharia’s annual conference, which was scheduled for next week. The interior ministry is refusing to grant the group a permit because of the country’s security conditions. The group’s leadership had declared that it will be holding its annual conference in Ajalh, al-Kairouan. As a response, many observers and political figures in Tunisia warned that the situation may explode and clashes could erupt between the security forces and members of Ansar al-Sharia.
Al-Maghreb described those results as a “political earthquake” that threatens Ennahda, which was very popular at the revolution’s start. The poll showed that more than 70% of Tunisians are dissatisfied with the Ennahda-led government, especially regarding how it is handling the economy and the security situation.
Regarding the deteriorating security situation, the Tunisian union for the security forces declared that it will be organizing a national conference on terrorism in early July in which “all the institutions involved in Tunisia’s security will participate, starting with the Interior Ministry, the army, and other institutions that recently found themselves facing the phenomenon of religious extremism and terrorism.”
The conference is an attempt to coordinate the efforts of the institutions fighting the armed Salafist jihadist groups. The Secretary-General of the Tunisian Association for the Internal Security Forces Nabil al-Ayaari said that the conference will witness the participation of political and civil society figures, in addition to the security institutions, ‘‘in order to search for urgent solutions to save the security establishment.”
The conference comes at a time when Tunisia is witnessing the rise of a Salafist jihadist movement that is threatening to wage war against the state as a response to what Abu Ayad, the leader of the Salafist jihadist movement in Tunisia, called state harassment against Ansar al-Sharia. He accused the state of preventing organized gatherings by the group in public squares after Friday prayers, which have become known as “proselytizing tents.”
Observers believe that the tension between the jihadist movement and the Tunisian government rose after the Interior Ministry prevented Ansar al-Sharia’s annual conference, which was scheduled for next week. The interior ministry is refusing to grant the group a permit because of the country’s security conditions. The group’s leadership had declared that it will be holding its annual conference in Ajalh, al-Kairouan. As a response, many observers and political figures in Tunisia warned that the situation may explode and clashes could erupt between the security forces and members of Ansar al-Sharia.
