Tunisia Seeks Support from West During Critical Time

Photo Credit: AP

In an interview with NPR, Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki described the challenges the country faces in preventing a reversion to dictatorship.  Marzouki spoke about the country’s efforts to balance the power of the president and prime minister so that “no one can become a dictator.” Marzouki called on Europe and the U.S. to support Tunisia during what he described as the most dangerous time in the post-revolution period. He cited the country’s high unemployment rate and the need to match people’s expectations for the revolution.

Tunisia, like other Arab countries today, faces significant obstacles in tracking down the illicit wealth accumulated during years of corrupt rule explained an article in the New York Times. The Tunisian government was able to recover two aircraft owned by Ben Ali but lawyers representing the new government said that they have been opposed at every step in trying to recover frozen assets held in Swiss bank accounts.

Members of Tunisia’s National Constituent Assembly Committee on Legislative and Executive Power and the National Council on Tunisia’s Jewish Citizens are promoting a proposal to designate two seats in parliament for Jewish members reported Haaretz.