Tunisia's Free Destourian Nominates Moussi for Presidential Elections

Tunisia's Free Destourian Party President Abir Moussi (EPA)
Tunisia's Free Destourian Party President Abir Moussi (EPA)
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Tunisia's Free Destourian Nominates Moussi for Presidential Elections

Tunisia's Free Destourian Party President Abir Moussi (EPA)
Tunisia's Free Destourian Party President Abir Moussi (EPA)

Tunisia's Free Destourian Party (PDL) unanimously nominated its president Abir Moussi for the upcoming presidential elections, according to the German News Agency (dpa).

The party announced a "general list" that included its stance on the current national affairs, criticizing the policies of President Kais Saied after imposing exceptional measures since July 25.

Moussi chaired the party's legislative bloc before Saied's froze the parliament. She is one of the most vocal opponents of the Islamic Ennahda Movement, the conservative Dignity Coalition, and Islamic organizations.

She was a member of the dissolved Democratic Constitutional Rally, which ruled Tunisia before the 2011 revolution. Her opponents accuse Moussi of being a front for the former regime.

Saeid, who was elected by a vast majority in 2019, presented a political roadmap, including a national electronic consultation, a popular referendum on political reforms, and the organization of parliamentary elections at the end of this year.

The Free Destourian condemned the President for dismantling institutions claiming exceptional measures to facilitate the implementation of his political project.

Moussi announced that the party would hold a sit-in on March 13, declaring their support for the state and aiming to save the people from the dangers of social tension, financial collapse, and poverty.

During a press conference held to announce the results of the expanded central committee of the party, Moussi said that the latter would force the President to respect the will of the Tunisian people through protests.

Moussa declared that her party would not recognize the consultation results that were executed over the electronic platform.

The party will sue the platform's supervisors for squandering public funds, violating regulations, harming the administration, and deceiving the will of citizens, according to Moussi.

The Free Destourian refuses to change the rules of the democratic process.

She stressed that any texts issued by the President are illegal, based on the requirements of Presidential order 117 concerning the political system.



France Highlights Its Role in Brokering Lebanon Ceasefire Deal

 Lebanese soldiers ride in a convoy in Mansouri, as they head to southern Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP)
Lebanese soldiers ride in a convoy in Mansouri, as they head to southern Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP)
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France Highlights Its Role in Brokering Lebanon Ceasefire Deal

 Lebanese soldiers ride in a convoy in Mansouri, as they head to southern Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP)
Lebanese soldiers ride in a convoy in Mansouri, as they head to southern Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP)

France’s foreign minister underlined his country’s role in brokering an agreement that ended fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group alongside the US, saying the deal wouldn’t have been possible without France’s special relationship with its former protectorate.

“It’s a success for French diplomacy and we can be proud,” said the minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, speaking hours after the ceasefire went into effect Wednesday.

“It is true that the United States have a privileged relationship with Israel. But with Lebanon, it’s France that has very old ties, very close ties,” the minister added. “It would not have been possible to envisage a ceasefire in Lebanon without France being involved on the front line.”

France will be involved in monitoring the ceasefire, Barrot noted, with 700 French soldiers deployed as part of the 10,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, that has been patrolling the border area between Lebanon and Israel for nearly 50 years.

The minister said France will also work to strengthen Lebanese troops that will deploy in the south of the country as part of the ceasefire, although he didn’t specify what that might include.