Ennahdha in Practice: Democracy, Gender, and Sharia in Tunisia's New Constitution

Abstract

It was a historic milestone when the Tunisian parliament adopted a new constitution on January 26, 2014. With only a few weeks left before the next parliamentary elections on October 26, it is now a propitious time to assess the political performance of the largest party in the National Constituent Assembly. Ennahdha, the Islamist movement and party, has managed to reconcile Islamic values with democratic and pluralistic values but not with liberal ones. It clearly has shown its flexibility and pragmatism to adapt to different political contexts and its ability to compromise in political negotiations.