Tunisia Live Blog

Statement by Ennahdha Party Sidi Bouzid Branch

Following the sad events in Sidi Bouzid, we wish to clarify that:

1. We stand with the people of this region which had a pioneering role in igniting the flame of the revolution of 17 December 2010, against the defamatory  campaigns on social networks and in some media against this heroic region and its people.

2. We respect the right to peaceful protest in all circumstances.

3. We stress the Party's rejection of all allegations which some tried to attribute to some of its leaders and deny the baseless fabricated statements undermining the dignity of Sidi Bouzid.

4. We believe the enemies of the revolution have seized the opportunity to drag the region into a wave of violence, after elections which the world has described as free and fair.

5. We condemn all forms of violence and vandalism, attacks on private and public properties and all attempts at spreading chaos and sinister rumours.

6. We call on all the region's sons and daughters to be vigilant and aware of the plots against the gains of the revolution and to work together for the success of the democratic process.

7. We call on all civil society actors and all political parties to assume responsibility towards current events.

Ennahdha Party Sidi Bouzid Branch

Ennahdha's Rachid Ghannouchi has reaffirmed his party's "commitment to the women of Tunisia".

"Ennahda reaffirms its commitment to the women of Tunisia, to strengthen their role in political decision-making, in order to avoid any going back on their social gains," he said, adding that 42 of the 49 women elected to the constituent assembly were Ennahdha candidates.

he also said women will have jobs in the coalition government "whether they wear a veil or don't wear a veil". 

Ennahdha leader Rachid Ghannouchi, whose party won Sunday's election, has called on all Tunisians to reject violence as he held a press conference in Tunis. He also called on Sidi Bouzid to calm down and blamed members of the former ruling party of spreading false rumours about his party in the town.

The secretary general of Tunisia's Islamist Ennahda said on Wednesday he was the party's candidate for the post of prime minister and may offer the president's job to caretaker premier Beji Caid Sebsi, the state news agency reported. 

"I am the candidate of Ennahda for the prime minister's post... It is completely normal since the secretary-general of the winning party in all democracies is the one who takes the prime minister's post," the TAP news agency quoted Hamadi Jbeli as saying. 

The agency said Jbeli did not rule out offering the president's post to Sebsi.