A government of “national duty”

A national unity government…

A government of “national duty”

Like many Tunisians, I followed with great attention President Beji Caid Essebsi’s announcement, in his interview on national television, of a political initiative: a call to form a national unity government that meets the demands of a period whose gravity Tunisians agree upon…

I would like to take this opportunity to respond to this valuable initiative which, although somewhat late, is a major political event whose success we must all work to secure, as our duty of national responsibility requires at this delicate moment for our country.

First, on form:

The boldness and courage shown by the President of the Republic, who took full responsibility at a difficult moment that brooks no delay, deserve praise… This in itself restores the standing of the presidential office, which had been sidelined and weakened in a political system where authority suffered so much that Tunisians wondered whether there was a captain aboard the ship of state… a leader to set the course and reassure Tunisians.

But courage, like responsibility, can be neither divided nor ambiguous… The President must not only be a source of proposals; he must also, and above all, guarantee the initiative’s success and oversee its proper management, from discussion through to implementation and execution… without this running counter to the spirit of the Constitution, especially as he will be backed by popular legitimacy rooted in Tunisians’ longing for fundamental solutions to improve their lives…

So much for form. As for substance, we must define what we mean by a national unity government… The essential question we must answer before embarking on an adventure of unknown consequences is this: is a national unity government merely an arithmetic equation embodying the broadest possible political participation? That would change nothing: the first and then the second Essid governments enjoyed overwhelming political and parliamentary majorities, yet lacked broad popular support… Experience has taught us that the wider the participation (the troika, the quartet, independents…), the more decisions stall and reforms are postponed…

It would be better to present it as a government that nurtures, supports, embraces and embodies the value of national unity… a value Tunisians agree is our weapon in our battles against terrorism, poverty, marginalisation, social injustice, corruption and smuggling… What does it mean for the government to be united while the people are torn apart and divided into groups, tribes and classes…

The most dangerous virus that could strike this initiative would be for narcissism and sectional interests to divert it back to a place Tunisians are weary of and reject: the sharing-out of quotas…

Paradoxically, perhaps, the initiative’s success lies in a government that stands at an equal distance from everyone… so as to win the broadest support from everyone…

It is not a government of parties but a government supported by the parties… It is a government of action, of missions and of far-reaching reforms, not a government of honours and spoils… It is a government that handles what is urgent, not one that postpones and plays for time.

Perhaps the best name for such a government is a government of “national duty”…

A government of “national duty”

A government of “national duty” requires that the ruling quartet not cling to its share of power and that the opposition not stand aside on the pretext of not wanting to share in failure… A government of “national duty” is entrusted with missions, built on priorities and deadlines, defined by objectives and bound by time… Once the missions and functions have been set, and those who will carry them out chosen (far from partisan considerations), the government obtains the broadest possible political, civic and popular support; only then can it be called a national unity government… This may be close to the position of the Tunisian General Labour Union, which sees itself as a partner in dialogue and in shaping the vision, not in governing.

A government of “national duty” strikes a balance between two values, strength and justice… two values the President referred to when stressing the need to embody the rule of law… a strong State… that does not hesitate to apply the law to all, but that is also a just State, in its courts and in the fair distribution of its wealth…

A government of “national duty” is one in which neither failure nor spoils are shared out… one in which a principle that no one monopolises and from which no one is excluded is shared fairly: patriotism.

If we want to take this initiative far, we must accept that the Presidency of the Republic oversee a dialogue on missions, priorities and a roadmap, and then on choosing the most suitable person and the best team to deliver, within a set timeframe, what Tunisians need and what the parties to the dialogue agree upon…

The President of the Republic has a historic opportunity to learn from the experience of the recent past, to reverse the equation and let sound reasoning prevail: first define the ideas, projects and programmes, then choose the people… If, instead, personalities win out once again and put ambition and narcissism ahead of projects and programmes, we will have cost Tunisia a chance to recover and take off, and precious time that may never return.

Mondher Zenaidi