‘The last couple of weeks preceding the elections were extremely important as far as the future of the revolution and that of the country are concerned. The elections were accompanied by a lot of fears and apprehensions, but we can happily say now, and in spite of everything, that it’s been a success, so far,’ says Azza Chamkhi.
A teacher by profession, Azza has just finished her studies and is active with Raid, the Tunisian chapter of the Committee for the Abolition of Third World Debt (CADTM). In her early-twenties, Azza were active in the Tunisian revolution like many in her age.
Talking about Raid, she says: ‘Raid has played an important role of sensitization during the whole electoral process. We’ve raised important issues related to our popular national sovereignty vis-a-vis international debt. The Raid has managed to introduce the debt issue, in spite of government’s reluctance, into public sphere’.
In an interview with Viewpoint, she vowed: ‘Our fight will not end with the elections, however, as we will continue to put pressure upon the different and new political forces in order to get closer to achieving what our martyrs have died for’. Read on:
Farooq Sulehria – Which party did you vote for? How big was turn out and your comments on the election outcome?
Azza Chamkhi – I voted for the CPR (Congress for Republic Party), which got around 14% and came second in the elections, right after Ennahdha. Since Ennahdha was violently oppressed under the successive dictatorships, most people were led to believe that Ennahdha is radically opposed to the old regime, although the opposite is true. In its political and economic choices, Ennahdha is but a continuation of the old regime, and this is why I was not happy to see Ennahda bagging the biggest share of the Assembly seats. The CPR although is not a left party but is calling for a break with the old regime. It is thus more likely to fulfill our expectations and deal more efficiently with the problems central to the Tunisian revolution.
What explains Ennahdha’s success in a secularized society and country? What does Islamists victory imply for Tunisian women and workers?
Ennahdha was successful, not because people want a more conservative regime, but because, as I said before, they need a real break with the old regime. They mistakenly believe that Ennahdha will make this break. Ennahdha, along with a bunch of other parties, is a signatory to the Jasmine Plan, and is thus promising obedience to the international financial institution. Its victory in the elections, therefore, implies more unemployment and more poverty for the Tunisian people. It doesn’t mean something to women and workers in particular. Indeed, what Ennahdha is a threat to is not individual freedom, but rather, our freedom and sovereignty as a people.
What other forces have emerged as successful?
The Popular Petition (literal translation to Bechir Hamdi’s independent list) is another major player. This list is mainly composed of people who belonged to Ben Ali’s party (CDR). Also, Bechir Hamdi took advantage of a foreign TV channel (Al Mostaquilla) for his election campaign even if it was by the ISIE, the election commission.
Tell us about Tunisian left? Did left take part? How much vote did the left got?
It saddens me to admit that the left has failed. The PCOT, one of the major left formations, got almost no seats, and the section of the Fourth International boycotted the elections. The latter did so because they considered the elections as a sort of maneuver to abort the revolution. I personally think this was a mistake for many reasons. The mistaken perspective is evident from the fact that turn out was as high as 85%. These elections were the first real occasion for us as a people to further emphasise our desire for a break with the old regime. The left, now more than ever, needs to build itself and become a leading force in this country.
Farooq Sulehria