Tunisia’s parliament speaker mourns the Tunisian General Labour Union’s initiative

Tunisian Parliament Speaker Brahim Bouderbala criticized the national dialog initiative launched by a number of national organizations, especially the Tunisian General Labor Union, saying it is incomplete and excludes the state from being represented in the government.

In an interview broadcast on Thursday on the local FM radio station, Bouderbala said that the parliament is compensating for the national dialog initiative because it is a constitutional institution elected by the people, stressing that the serious dialog is between the legislative council and the regional and regional council, on which Tunisians rely for development and to discuss some difficulties.

The Labor Union, among other national organizations, promoted a national dialog initiative to achieve political stability. The initiative was rejected by President Kais Saied, who said that the people elected their institutions and that dialog is of no use.

The Tunisian General Labor Union has entered a bitter battle with the government over the refusal to accept conditions put forward by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in faltering negotiations to approve a funding program of around $1.9 billion, which Tunisia desperately needs in the face of a severe financial crisis.

In a veiled criticism of the insistence of the Union’s leadership on the national dialog initiative, Bouderbala said, “The dialog initiative is incomplete because it came unilaterally, especially since it is the labor organization that is leading the demand for this initiative, in addition to the Bar Association and the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights.”

He stressed that it is incomplete, as it represents only one sector of civil society and the investigation of the states represented in the government, and other national organizations such as the Tunisian Union for Agriculture and Fisheries, the Tunisian Union for Industry, Trade and Handicrafts, and the Union of Women.”

He called for dialog to include a party that represents state coercion and commitments, noting that it is open to all, including the Secretary General of the Union, Noureddine Taboubi.

Bouderbala mentioned the issue of establishing the Constitutional Court, which was discussed during the absence of President Kais Saied about a week ago, as he sought to highlight the opposition’s temporary or permanent vacancy.

He accused the dissolved parliament of preventing the establishment of the court because of narrow party calculations, stressing that the establishment of the court requires the issuance of its basic law before it is presented to the parliament for consideration.

He stressed that the formation of the Constitutional Court is one of the priorities of the parliament in the coming period, saying that the draft of the Basic Law of the Court is proposed by either the Head of State or at least 10 MPs.

He denied media reports that the court would be adjourned until political and social stability was achieved.

The speaker also stressed that normalization with Israel is not acceptable, following the case of one of the professors, Habib El Kezadghli, on behalf of the College of Manouba, who participated in a scientific conference in France.