Islam and democracy compatible in Tunisia

Tunisians voted in the country's first-ever free elections on Sunday. The turnout for the vote to appoint the 217-seat assembly tasked with rewriting the constitution was enormous. But in the West all the euphoria about the popular revolutions in the Arab region has evaporated amidst fears that Islamists could gain control, the left-liberal tabloid Aftonbladet laments: "Essentially we're dealing here with the same fear of democracy that the powers that be always felt. The fear about what the masses could come up with if they came to power. The same argument weaves its way through history from Plato to today's leading article like a red thread. But the spread of democracy across the globe shows that the masses in general are pretty clever. Of course democracy and Islam are compatible, just as Christianity or any other world religion is compatible with democracy. Anyone who claims the contrary should prove it. Meanwhile the killing of Gaddafi, on the other hand, is proof of what challenges still lie ahead. Democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights are all interconnected. ... The Western world must support the elections and respect the decisions of the people. We must simply have the courage to trust our own ideals."

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