Tunisia: Opposition party refuses to nominate Bin Ali for a fourth term of office

In the first reply to the call made by the branches of the ruling democratic constitution coalition party in Tunisia, which had called for the nomination of the Tunisian President Zein al- Abidin Bin Ali for a fourth term of office that will last for five years as from the year 2004, the opposition progressive democratic party described this step as " a point which is very dangerous for our national life."

In a statement the said party urged commitment to the " rules of the 39th item of the constitution which sets the direct rights of the President to nominate himself just for two terms of office."

The party noted that this condition prevents to monopoly of the post of the Presidency to just one person.

After the resignation of the Former Tunisian President Burgeiba in 1987, President Bin Ali amended the constitution and canceled the concept " of Presidency for life" and confined the right to nomination for the presidency to two terms of office one is to be renewed for one time, which in all means 15 years in presidency.

According to this amendment Bin Ali who won the elections in 1989, 1994 and 1999 has no right to nominate himself for a fourth term of office in the elections which will be in the year 2004.

However, the " al-Hurreya" ( liberty) paper the mouthpiece of the ruling party last Saturday launched a campaign directing calls from the party's organization to ask for Bin Ali's nomination for a fourth term of office. Immediately the party branches positively responded to this call as at the meantime the hold their grass-roots conferences.