Tunisian president to get emergency powers

[bemildred]

Source: AFP

TUNIS — Tunisia's parliament met Monday to vote emergency powers for the country's interim president after the government banned the ruling party of ousted leaders Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi told the 125 deputies present in 214-seat parliament that they had to approve the measure in order to bring peace to a country still mired in turmoil three weeks after Ben Ali was ousted in a popular revolt.

"Time is precious. Tunisia has real need of rule by decree to remove dangers," he said at the first parliamentary session since Ben Ali's overthrow.

"There are people who want Tunisia to go backwards but we must honour our martyrs who fought for liberty."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5juBHIGNP6tw4F6SZgHqEqUv_71IA?docId=CNG.f633c1f93ead7c4ea82895634cdfeeaf.481

[msongs]

1. meet the new boss, same as the old boss nt

[MineralMan]

2. Government upheaval like this frequently seems to end up with

one person or a small group having almost unlimited power, due to the "emergency." Sometimes it works out OK. Often it does not. Only time will tell in this case.

Tyranny - A government by a single person with unlimited power.

[Statistical]

3. Really? How is this going to end any better than the last "President"?

[ananda]

4. The upper house still has to pass this legislation...

... but I assume that is a fait accompli?

[bemildred]

5. I don't know.

I did notice: "Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi told the 125 deputies present in 214-seat parliament that they had to approve the measure in order to bring peace to a country still mired in turmoil three weeks after Ben Ali was ousted in a popular revolt."

And there is continuing violence targeting the police organizations around the country from what I can gather. I do get the impression that we have elements of the old ruling elites struggling to retain control, but lacking the effective support of the police and military and/or acquiescence from the public, I don't think they will get far. Descent into chaos is possible, even likely, and I do not doubt that Algeria and Libya are on tenterhooks hoping the problem is not communicable.

[Robbien]

6. The unrest Ghannouchi wants to stop are protests held by people against their employers

He needs emergency powers to shut down these strikes.

such as
Sit-in of External Communication Agency Staff

Many Tunisians are striking against their employers trying to get better pay and protection of their rights--- and those strikes must be stopped, immediately.

This will also be the situation in Egypt even if Mubarak steps down because the VP is even more dictatorial than Mubarak is.

[bemildred]

7. Right: "old ruling elites struggling to retain control".

And precisely the same sort of thing may be expected in Egypt. The dam is busted, you might say. It will take a leader of exceptional ability, charisma, and luck to "restore order" any time soon, let alone restore the status quo ante.