Summary:

On 3 August 2022, Tunisia’s Islamist party, Ennahdha, announced that another investigation had been opened into the group’s leader, Rached Ghannouchi. The latest investigation centers on allegations that Ghannouchi referred to Tunisia’s security forces as tyrannical during comments delivered as part of a eulogy for a deceased colleague. This investigation comes on the heels of the July 2022 questioning of Ghannouchi due to charges of money laundering stemming from his activities with an Ennahdha-linked charity.

Outlook:  

Conversation around these latest charges agree that the current government’s decision to keep Ghannouchi and Ennahdha in the public consciousness is an effective strategy to deflect public frustration with systemic challenges faced in Tunisia, as public anger towards Ennahdha remains strong. Regardless of the legal and technical framework of any particular charge, the current government is able to garner popular support and direct public frustration at Ghannouchi and Ennahdha.