The New Tunisian Constitution Is a Model of Liberty

           Tunisia has succeeded in drafting a new constitution that respects liberty and rejects Islamism.  The document is expected to be approved by the Tunisian Parliament soon. 

The state that gave rise to the Arab Spring would thus become the second fruit of the movement for liberty in the Arab world, after Morocco.  See my post from June of 2011, Morocco, First Fruits of the Arab Spring, http://williamcinfici.blogspot.com/2011/06/morocco-first-fruits-of-arab-spring.html.

Tunisia’s new constitution establishes a representative republican form of government and guarantees basic liberties, including the freedom of religion, as opposed to Sharia (Islamic holy law).  It also establishes equality for women, which is unusual in the Islamic world. 

The Tunisian constitution is the result of compromise between moderate Islamists, leftists and liberals, who worked two years to reach consensus on the document.  It will now up to the Tunisians to abide by their constitution in the same spirit of pluralism they demonstrated in drafting it. 

The resolution of the constitutional question is expected to bring stability to Tunisia, which should improve commerce and restore good relations with the United States.  I congratulate Tunisia and wish it well.

Just as Egypt, where Islamists were elected and created a constitution that entrenched them in dictatorship and did not respect human rights or the rights of minorities, served as a bad example for Tunisia, it is hoped that Tunisia will serve as a good example for Egypt.