TUNIS: Tunisia’s Islamic Ennahda party will separate it religious activities from political ones, its chief said in statements published Thursday ahead of a weekend congress to formalize the change.
Rached Ghannouchi told French daily Le Monde there was no room left in post-Arab Spring Tunisia for “political Islam.”
“Tunisia is now a democracy. The 2014 constitution has imposed limits on extreme secularism and extreme religion,” he was quoted as saying.
“We want religious activity to be completely independent from political activity.
“This is good for politicians because they would no longer be accused of manipulating religion for political means and good for religion because it would not be held hostage to politics,” said Ghannouchi.
His comments come on the eve of a three-day congress for Ennahda, which is part of a coalition government.
Leaders say the congress will take the formal step of making the separation between political and Islamic activities.
Ghannouchi, who is expected to be re-elected as party head barring any last-minute surprise, said: “We are going toward a party which specializes in political activities.
Rached Ghannouchi told French daily Le Monde there was no room left in post-Arab Spring Tunisia for “political Islam.”
“Tunisia is now a democracy. The 2014 constitution has imposed limits on extreme secularism and extreme religion,” he was quoted as saying.
“We want religious activity to be completely independent from political activity.
“This is good for politicians because they would no longer be accused of manipulating religion for political means and good for religion because it would not be held hostage to politics,” said Ghannouchi.
His comments come on the eve of a three-day congress for Ennahda, which is part of a coalition government.
Leaders say the congress will take the formal step of making the separation between political and Islamic activities.
Ghannouchi, who is expected to be re-elected as party head barring any last-minute surprise, said: “We are going toward a party which specializes in political activities.
