Tunisia: Ben Ali’s Party Banned As Interim PM Receives Emergency Powers

The new Tunisian Interior Minister, Farhat Rahji, ordered ousted President Zine Ben Ali’s former party, the Constitutional Democratic Assembly (RCD), to close its offices and cease all activities.  Rahji has been viewed as a “zealous advocate” of forcing regime loyalists from power.  The order is viewed as a first step to fully dissolving the party which is viewed as an impediment to reform.  Meanwhile, legislation was introduced into the lower house of parliament to give interim President Foued Mebazaa emergency powers allowing him to rule by decree, thereby sidestepping the RCD dominated legislative body.  Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the Islamist Ennahda party, has said that the group is being shut out of the interim government.  Ghannouchi called for a more inclusive cabinet and the dismantling of the police state.  He also stated that Tunisia should adopt the parliamentary system of government in order to ensure that power is not concentrated into a singular head of state and government.