Tunisia can end transition by September: Marzouki

Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki suggests finalising the constitution by April, with elections to follow in autumn

Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki proposed that the new Tunisian constitution be drafted by April, to be followed by presidential and legislative elections in September and October, Marzouki told Algeria's Al-Khabar newspaper during an interview at Carthage Palace on Wednesday.
Marzouki stated that his re-nomination for the presidency will be based upon the articles of the new constitution, along with his popularity and "the political balance."
"People will be informed about the decision once I reach it; I am not currently thinking about this issue as I am proud of what I have achieved so far," he said.
Marzouki called on the ruling Islamist Ennahda party, with the help of its secular coalition partners, to work to prevent political division in the country following the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid.
"I am currently attempting to start a dialogue between moderate Islamists, Salafists and secularists, to convince them that compromise is our only choice in order to reach the elections," he said.
Marzouki added that Ennahda agreed to give up key ministries [interior, justice, defence and foreign portfolios] to independents, a key concession that could speed up the formation of a new government and end the political crisis that followed the assassination of Belaid.
Ennahda's approval came in response to a demand by almost all of the opposition and the opposition and the government's two secular, centre-left partners, Ettakatol and the Congress for the Republic of Marzouki.
Answering a question about the Salafist dilemma, Marzouki argued that Salafism is "just an annoying phenomenon," but not influential enough to jeopardise the stability of the whole society.
"This is part of Ben Ali's legacy; he gave room for their rise after they learned violent approaches in Afghanistan to destroy moderate Islamist movements," he claimed.
"Some people resorted to Salafism because of severe poverty, which requires a solution on several social and economic levels."
The Tunisian government holds radical Salafists responsible for the murder of Belaid. Interior minister Ali Larayedh, who is also prime-minister designate, said Tuesday that the killer of the leftist opposition leader had been identified and four suspects arrested.
But some family members have dismissed any involvement of Salafists in the assassination, insisting Ennahda was responsible -- a claim the Islamist party staunchly denies.
Belaid's murder sparked deadly street protests and strikes and exposed the widening fissures between the ruling Islamists and liberals, plunging Tunisia into its worst political crisis since the 2011 revolution against Ben Ali's regime. The crisis prompted Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali to resign.
On Thursday, Marzouki testified in an investigation into Belaid's murder. The opposition leader's family says that the president knew of death threats against Belaid, who was a vocal critic of Ennahda. Presidential spokesman Adnen Mancer has denied the claims.
"The aim of my testimony before court is to prove the state of absolute transparency that exists currently in Tunisia; the public should know everything, and the president is just a normal citizen," Marzouki said.
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