Suchergebnisse

Although he holds no executive post, Rashid Al-Ghannushi, President of Ennahda, the Islamist party which won most seats in the election on October 23, 2011 to elect a constituent assembly, is today considered the power broker of Tunisia. A conservative intellectual, Mr. Al-Ghannushi is also one of the leading theorists of modern political Islam. Ennahda has solid grassroots support and derives its strength and moral legitimacy from the persecution inflicted on its activists under presidents Bourguiba and Ben Ali. But the party is far from homogenous, and that is its weakness. The 'reformist' wing is currently riding high in the wake of the Arab Spring, but it seems to be increasingly challenged by a radical movement which is openly flirting with the Salafists. Rashid Al-Ghannushi's role is therefore crucial in maintaining a delicate balance based on dialog and, at times, the delicate art of evasion. The success or failure of the Tunisian revolution will depend to a large extent on his ability to pull together a divided society. Adapted from the source document.

In this exclusive interview with Arielle Thedrel, Moldovan prime minister Vlad Filat looks back over the institutional crisis that left his country without a president for two years. Despite this unusual situation, Moldova is pursuing the reforms which it hopes will one day enable the country to join the European Union. Under the auspices of a newly elected youthful leadership eager to modernize society, the 3.5 million-strong former Soviet republic has become a sort of testing ground for East-West relations. In addition, this new configuration raises the prospect for a settlement in Transnistria. In recent months, the fate of the tiny Russia-backed breakaway state has figured high on the agenda of several international summits. Vlad Filat's goal is to absorb Transnistria back into Moldova and to put a stop to the various types of trafficking which sustain the local economy and threaten regional security. Adapted from the source document.