Kok and Zapatero lead a INSPIRED mission to Tunisia: “This country is a success story”

Building broader consensus and fostering dialogue agreements are top priorites that must prevail over political fight in this phase of the Tunisian transition, accoriding to both leaders. The mission’s agenda included meetings with, among others, Mehdi Jomaa, Chef du Gouvernement; Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the En-Nahda Movement, one of the main political parties in Tunisia; Nidaa Tunis political leader Mr Sebssi, UGTT leader Hussein Abassi or parliamentary Fadhel Moussa. 

Check out here the photogallery of this mission

 


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As a summary of the situation he found in Tunisia, Mr Kok thinks that this country is the only one so far having a “relatively peaceful and smooth transition towards political democracy”. But, as the former Prime Ministers says “even Tunisia still has a long way to go. The country has to prepare for fair and transparent elections by or before the end of this year. And after that a stable government will have to be formed, facing huge challenges”. 

According to the former President of the Club de Madrid “after all the Jasmine revolution there was not only a call for freedom and democracy, but also or mainly a cry for social justice, jobs and better social and economic perspectives. A new government will have to satisfy the needs of the population, by decreasing unemployment and poverty and by reducing inequality. Moreover the security situation must improve. The progress that was realized in recent years has been possible thanks to the ability of political parties and civil society organizations to compromise and to find a common denominator”.

Former President of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero asked the opposition to have a constructive role in the transition process. For the Club de Madrid Member, “Tunisia is doing very well; it has created a great constitution, a constitution of consensus. Now we have to develop it with elections and always preserve this climate of consensus and understanding between majority and minority and among various political forces. This is the message I want to give”.

You can rewatch President’s Zapatero messages to Tunisian society here: