Presidential hopeful aims for pluralism in Tunisian politics
2009-10-20
Tunisian presidential candidate Mohamed Bouchiha believes he brings new ideas to an election whose outcome is said by many to be a foregone conclusion.
Interview by Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 20/10/09
 [Jamel Arfaoui] Mohamed Bouchiha, shown here in a campaign poster, hopes to strengthen a tradition of pluralism to Tunisian politics. |
Mohamed Bouchiha has no misconceptions about Tunisia's upcoming presidential election: He believes President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali will win on Sunday (October 25th). But the secretary general of the Party of People's Unity (PUP) is running for president anyway. He is facing off against a field that includes the incumbent, as well as Ahmed Innoubli of the Unionist Democratic Union (UDU) and Ahmed Ibrahim of the Ettajdid Movement. Bouchiha's goal is to enhance Tunisia's devotion to competition and pluralism.
Magharebia: All observers are expecting an easy win for President Ben Ali in the upcoming elections. Yet, you still decided to run. Are you an adventurer?
Bouchiha: As you noted, observers almost unanimously agree that current president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, will incontestably be the winner in the nearing elections. That, however, does not mean that my candidacy is an adventure for a number of reasons, the most important of which is that my candidacy was the decision of the Party of People's Unity. The party's course of action is not at all determined by adventures. The party took its decision although it is fully aware of the prevalent balance of power.
That means my candidacy is in pursuit of goals not at all linked to winning the elections. Rather, my goals have to do with the belief that democracy cannot exist without competitive elections, even if candidates belong to minority parties, since what matters is underlining the right to be different and highlighting different programs, visions and conceptions.
Magharebia: Some believe that your candidacy is in name only, to give the appearance that the presidential elections are pluralist. How would you answer that?
Bouchiha: I would say that those charges are baseless because my candidacy has well-defined political goals, namely stressing the right to competition. We have an elections program that is completely different from that of the ruling party candidate. That, per se, proves that we take this candidacy very seriously.
Magharebia: What practical goals are you working for?
Bouchiha: Laying down the rule of sharing power by peaceful rotation is not an easy job. It is not something you can pull off overnight. We are faced with age-old traditions. However, we are convinced that the coming decades will witness a change in the balance of political powers. Resistance will be able to aspire for presidency, though that is not possible in the current elections. We sincerely believe that our ethical commitment toward voters makes it necessary to declare our goals for this phase and to update them on the current state of affairs, in terms of the balance of power.
Magharebia: What are your most important promises to voters?
Bouchiha: We are offering a fully-fledged elections programme, that hinges on the notion of instituting balance among powers, on the political level, and also balance between the state and civil society, and on the economic and social levels, through reinstatement of the public sector, combating tax evasion, enhancing equality in tax collection and maintaining balance among institutions.
Magharebia: Unemployment is a serious problem for thousands of young people in Tunisia. What solutions do you envision for this problem?
Bouchiha: We think that unemployment is a true problem, which current efforts failed to solve. We believe that the key lies in further developing the investment climate and activating the role of the state, especially in domestic areas. Also, showing strictness regarding incentives offered to investors without any positive impact on operations, in return.
Magharebia: What do you think of freedoms in Tunisia?
Bouchiha: Human rights have come to witness some progress in terms of legislation and the actual state of affairs. We believe, however, that what was accomplished should be preserved by offering civil society institutions a bigger chance to enhance human rights.
Magharebia: How would you rate the media in Tunisia?
Bouchiha: Tunisian media still has a long way to go in order for it to be able to reflect the development achieved by Tunisian society. We think it is necessary for the radio and television to enhance the concept of pluralism.
Magharebia: How is your election campaign being financed?
Bouchiha: The campaign will receive the public financial resources provided by the law.
Magharebia: Do you have confidence in the National Elections Observatory, which was established by the decree of President Ben Ali?
Bouchiha: We think of the Observatory as responsible and credible. Following the elections, we will certainly evaluate its performance, hoping the results of our evaluation will be positive in terms of the impartiality of the head and members of the Observatory.
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Anonymous Posted 2009-10-20
By saying that this decision was made by the People’s Unity Party, Mr Bouchiha is proving that he is a liar. His candidature comes as a decision made by Ben Ali. Chebbu and Ben Jaafar were excluded, also as a decision made by Ben Ali because they were the only two honest candidates among a handful of Tunisian politicians who are not corrupt. However, we can reproach them for having tried to enter a competition where the dishonest results were know in advance. If Ben Ali had permitted them to present themselves, it would have served as an alibi for further presenting his dictatorship as democratic. Besides the fact that he is a liar, Mr Bouchiha has proven himself ignorant of politics. He dares to say that he is presenting himself to “underscore the right to be different". Does he know that this slogan belongs to a racist, Le Pen, and his “National Front” in France? His scorn of the emigrants has led him to say they are different. When asked about emigrants having rights, he responded, “Yes, the right to be different.” I know that Ben Ali’s censors do not have the air of being able to develop their intellectual capacities – just take a look at the supporters! – but, when you have ambitions to become the head of state, you need to be capable of getting around censorship in order to educate yourself. Others have done this. Mr Bouchiha, go to the cloakroom to get your coat and go home. Look at yourself right in the mirror. Ben Ali chose you as an “opponent” because he did not want to (or could only) face mediocre competition. In Tunisia’s politics, there is no lack of puppets.
BEN Posted 2009-10-21
Yes! We get it! It will once again be the taxpayers who appoint the president and not the voters. There are no basic laws that give the latter such a status, so as to do so in conformity with human rights… human rights that were born in countries that have already prepared their congratulatory telegrams, which is to say: recognise the legitimacy of this. This reality seems unreal! Morality is lacking in means!
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