TUNISIAN PRESIDENT HONORS KEY MAN OF DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION

National funerals are scheduled this Saturday in the presence of several heads of state. Around the world, tributes are multiplying to commend the role played by this president, the first Tunisian president democratically elected by universal suffrage in 2014. The boss of the UN Antonio Guterres has praised his role "determining to lead the country and the head of European diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, lamented the loss of one of the "most competent and persevering" Tunisian leaders [...]. Berlin, Rome, Rabat and several Gulf monarchies also paid tribute to him. Algeria declared mourning for three days, as did Mauritania. Donald Trump paid tribute to Béji Caïd Essebsi's "phenomenal leadership". "President Caid Essebsi was an indefatigable defender of the Tunisian people," the US president said in a White House statement.

"A phenomenal leadership," according to Donald Trump.

Beji Caid Essebsi played a key role in the democratic transition initiated by Tunisia in 2011 after the fall of Ben Ali. The power-sharing agreement it had made between his party, Nidaa Tounes, and the Islamists in Ennahda helped to stabilize the political situation and avoid the autocratic drift seen in other countries affected by the "spring Arabic ". This bet of reconciliation with the Islamists will have avoided the country the chaos experienced by other "Arab Spring". If he saved Tunisia from the rise of extremes, Essebsi, however, was unable to deepen the democratic project dreamed of by the protagonists of the 2011 revolution. And although he reiterated that the rights of the man were one of the gains of the young democracy, the Tunisian president bore badly the criticisms coming in particular from certain media. Moreover, the dynastic drift of the presidential power, which saw him soften the ambitions of his son Hafedh, has also been controversial. The "Sheik" failed to complete his project of equal inheritance between men and women. President Béji Caïd Essebsi died a few months before the end of his term in December.

The future of Tunisia

Upon the announcement of the death of the president, the head of Parliament, Mohamed Ennaceur, 85 years, was sworn in to act in accordance with the Constitution. It provides that this interim does not exceed 90 days, ie until the end of October. Tunisia is thus preparing to undergo an acceleration of its electoral calendar, the legal term of the five-year term of Mr. Essebsi having been initially fixed in mid-November. Legislative elections, another equally sensitive deadline, are scheduled for 6 October. The electoral autumn promises to be loaded for Tunisians. The stakes of this new political cycle - the second presidential and third legislative elections since 2011 - are crucial. It is that of the rooting of democracy in this country of North Africa, both pioneer and sole survivor of the wave of the "Arab Spring" of 2011 . Many Tunisians have emphasized this rapid transition as their country is the only one of the Arab states affected by the 2011 protests to continue on the path of democratization.

However, there are still many challenges to Tunisia, such as jihadist attacks, clan fighting and economic wait-and-seeism.

The democratic transition remains fragile in this pioneer Arab spring even if, according to some analysts, the death of the president should not cause political upheaval in Tunisia.