Ennahda’s Options in Post- “Sheikhs Agreement” Phase

Abstract: Tunisia’s fragile democracy has been able to survive against all odds, despite being situated amidst a region full of turmoil and civil wars. The historical consensus between Al-Beji Caid Essebsi and Rashid Al-Ghannouchi which was reached during a meeting in Paris on August 13th 2013 and later came to be known as the agreement of the “Two Sheikhs”, has been instrumental to the continuation of Tunisia’s democratic process while contributing to the relative stability Tunisia enjoys. In this regard, it is essential to follow-up on Tunisia’s democratic transition following the death of Tunisian president Caid Essebsi–one of the two pillars of this agreement–to determine how his passing affects Ennahda’s options and strategies ahead of upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.