Main focus of Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Islamists set to win election in Tunisia

In the election for a Constituent Assembly in Tunisia preliminary results indicate a clear victory for the moderate Islamist Ennahda party. According to commentators the West need not fear political Islam because it is first and foremost a sign of the democratisation of North Africa.

Rzeczpospolita - Poland

The victory of the conservative Islamist Ennahda Party in Tunisia and the planned introduction of Sharia law in Libya do not pose a threat to the West, writes the conservative daily Rzeczpospolita: "Tunisia and Libya will certainly be different than they were under dictatorship. But that doesn't mean they're a threat to the West. It should come as no surprise for the Sharia to be anchored in the constitution of a Muslim country. Incidentally, that was also the case under Mubarak - an ally of the US. These democratic elections have given expression to the true popular will, not just some ideology imposed by dictators who want nothing better than to rule forever. Outside the big cities the states of North Africa happen to be conservative. And there conservatism is Islamic. We would do better to rejoice that so many people went out to vote in Tunisia. (25/10/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » North Africa, » Tunisia
All available articles from » Jerzy Haszczyński
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

El País - Spain

The West must accept the possible election victory of Islamic parties in the Arab reform states of Tunisia and Egypt, but it also bears a large responsibility for the people in the region, writes the left-liberal daily El País: "Everything points to a victory for political Islam in the elections in Tunisia and Egypt. This time the Western powers are ready to accept this as an expression of the popular will. And so they should. Nevertheless the West bears a major responsibility: It must insist that the electoral victory does not mean that society will relapse into the Middle Ages. Political Islam must finally understand that in the age of globalisation you can't just seal yourself off from reality." (25/10/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Religion, » Elections, » Egypt, » Tunisia
All available articles from » Zouhir Louassini
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

Le Soir - Belgium

The increasingly likely victory of the moderate Islamist Ennahda party in Tunisia may inspire fear in the West, but that should not detract from the triumph of democracy, writes the daily Le Soir: "This election of the Constituent Assembly is the first step toward the establishment of democracy, the first in a world hitherto comprised only of dictatorships. ... Of course there will be dangers. The spectre of Islamism is often raised by the West, as observers say Ennahda is expected to finish first. But for their part the Islamists know that the major difficulty will be the ability of the new leaders - and they hope to be among them - to find a response to the misery suffered by large parts of the population. ... The revolt against tyranny and for dignity, justice and the right to work should be heard by the new Tunisian parliament, whatever party leads it." (25/10/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Social affairs, » Tunisia
All available articles from » Baudouin Loos
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

taz - Germany

The preliminary election results for Tunisia's new Constituent Assembly show a clear victory for the moderate Islamist Ennahda party. The major bone of contention will no doubt be the state model, writes the left-leaning daily Die Tageszeitung, fearing an Islamist president: "The Islamists and a small, radical-left group are for a purely parliamentary system. That is the lesson they draw from the presidential system that has imprisoned Tunisia since its independence. The rest of the parties want a head of state who acts under the eyes of parliament. But these parties don't seem to have considered what could happen if Ennahda gets its hands on the presidency." (25/10/2011)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Tunisia
All available articles from » Reiner Wandler
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

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