TUNIS // They became figures of hate during the Arab Spring revolution, but stalwarts of Tunisia’s ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali are planning a comeback in this month’s elections.
The polls, seen as a milestone in the transition from Ben Ali’s more than two decades in power, come nearly four years after the self-immolation of a Tunisian street vendor sparked protests that spread around much of the region.
Several parties headed by Ben Ali sympathisers are fielding candidates for parliamentary elections on October 26, and six former regime officials are contesting a November 23 presidential poll.
They include Beji Caid Essebsi, 87, a veteran Ben Ali cadre who was parliamentary speaker in the early 1990s and served as an interim premier after the 2011 revolution.
For many Tunisians like Chokri Mizouri, the return of the political establishment of the Ben Ali years is a “provocation” for people who participated in the uprising.
Ben Ali-era officials “who left through the back door are climbing back in through the window”, said Mr Mizouri, 22, a student.
“They should be ashamed of themselves and should not stand on the basis of their experience because their experience is that of corruption and dictatorship.
“And it will be a catastrophe if one of them becomes president because it would restart the machine that we revolted against.”
Many of the Ben Ali sympathisers have spent the past few years trying to play down their role under the former leader, who ruled for more than two decades.
Former transport minister Abderrahim Zouari was arrested after the revolution and accused of corruption, but later released with no charge.
He admitted the previous government made “many mistakes”.
“We know these mistakes, and the statesman is someone who recognises his faults and makes up for them,” Mr Zouari said, insisting he was now determined to “move the country forward”.
Kamel Morjane, a former foreign minister, apologised in 2011 “for having accepted to serve” under Ben Ali, and has downplayed his responsibilities under the old regime.
One-time health minister Mondher Zenaidi fled Tunisia after the uprising, only returning last month to much fanfare among supporters who gathered at the airport to welcome him home.
While many oppose their return, some Tunisians fed up with the insecurity that has gripped the country since the uprising believe a former regime strongman could help restore stability.
“The Ben Ali regime was corrupt and oppressive but the people could at least find food to eat,” said Karima Ben Hamida, a university graduate who has been unemployed for five years.
“Personally, between a presidential candidate from the troika (government) and the ‘azlem’ (members of Ben Ali’s inner circle), I would choose the latter.”
Ben Ali, 78, held on to power for 23 years, combining authoritarian rule with a degree of prosperity and stability for his people.
His escape to Saudi Arabia in January 2011 saved him the humiliation of standing in the dock to answer charges that initially covered possession of drugs and weapons, and were later extended to murder and torture.
He was sentenced to life in prison in his absence.
No top official who served under him is currently in prison.
A law that would have excluded members of the former regime from elections was rejected by an interim parliament dominated by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, which has appealed for reconciliation.
“We have seen for ourselves the eradication policy in Iraqi, which has led to political exclusion there as well as in Libya,” Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi said.
* Agence France-Presse
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Fatherland
Kele Okereke
(BMG)
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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The essentials
What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
When: Friday until March 9
Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.
Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.
Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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Five%20calorie-packed%20Ramadan%20drinks
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Race card
6.30pm: Emirates Holidays Maiden (TB), Dh82,500 (Dirt), 1,900m
7.05pm: Arabian Adventures Maiden (TB), Dh82,500 (D), 1,200m
7.40pm: Emirates Skywards Handicap (TB), Dh82,500 (D), 1,200m
8.15pm: Emirates Airline Conditions (TB), Dh120,000 (D), 1,400m
8.50pm: Emirates Sky Cargo (TB), Dh92,500 (D)1,400m
9.15pm: Emirates.com (TB), Dh95,000 (D), 2,000m
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
