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Islamist Party in Tunisia to Step Down
New York Times ^ | September 28, 2013 | CARLOTTA GALL

Posted on 10/08/2013 11:53:37 AM PDT by JerseyanExile

Tunisia’s governing Islamist party, Ennahda, thrust into power by the Arab Spring, has agreed to step down after months of political wrangling with a hard-bargaining opposition.

In three weeks, the Ennahda-led government is to hand over power to an independent caretaker government that will lead the country through elections in the spring. The deal comes as part of negotiations to restart Tunisia’s democratic transition after secular opposition groups, protesting the assassinations of two of their politicians, stalled work on a new constitution and an election law this summer.

Since the assassination of a prominent leftist politician, Chokri Belaid, in February, which brought accusations that it was soft or even in cahoots with Islamist terrorists, Ennahda has steadily been on the retreat. After the assassination, Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali resigned, saying the government had “disappointed” Tunisians with squabbling instead of leadership.

Finally, the ouster of Mr. Morsi — allied with the Muslim Brotherhood — encouraged the Tunisian opposition to try to oust the government. Ennahda responded with further concessions, dropping all of its outstanding constitutional demands, including an article stating that Islam was the religion of the state and another that would have prevented a key rival, former Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, from running for president.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: africa; ennahda; northafrica; tunisia

1 posted on 10/08/2013 11:53:37 AM PDT by JerseyanExile
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To: JerseyanExile

Oh, my God! Another victory for America and another defeat for Obama and the Islamists.


2 posted on 10/08/2013 11:54:55 AM PDT by WashingtonSource
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To: JerseyanExile

If they’re “stepping down”, then worse is to follow.


3 posted on 10/08/2013 11:55:15 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: WashingtonSource

This is the “moderate” Ennahda, right? It’s a stretch that the NYT finally admitted that they aren’t.

Islamists don’t surrender power.


4 posted on 10/08/2013 11:56:04 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: JerseyanExile

obama loses again.....will he start crying?


5 posted on 10/08/2013 11:57:40 AM PDT by svcw (obama lied my plan died)
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To: JerseyanExile

Second Arab Spring Fail!! Ha!


6 posted on 10/08/2013 12:22:00 PM PDT by MotorCityBuck ( Keep the change, you filthy animal! ,)
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To: Olog-hai
.

 photo Islamic-Jihad--2013-10-07--D_zps90702dea.jpg


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7 posted on 10/08/2013 6:33:46 PM PDT by Patton@Bastogne (Swine Piss be upon the Sodmite Obama, and his Child-Rapist False Prophet Mohammed)
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