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The party that once dominated Tunisian politics has faded away since President Kais Saied staged a dramatic power grab, with its offices shuttered and leaders behind bars or in exile.But observers say that Ennahdha, the Islamist-inspired movement still considered by some Tunisians as the country’s main opposition party, could still bounce back after a devastating government crackdown.On July 25, 2021, Saied stunned the country when he suspended parliament and dissolved the government, a move critics denounced as a “coup” a decade after the Arab Spring revolt ushered in a democratic transition in the North African country.Many of Saied’s critics have been prosecuted and jailed, including Ennahdha leader Rached Ghannouchi, 84, a former parliament speaker who was sentenced earlier this month to 14 years in prison for plotting against the state.Ghannouchi, who was arrested in 2023, has racked up several prison terms, including a 22-year sentence handed in February on the same charge.The crackdown over the past four years has seen around 150 Ennahdha figures imprisoned, prosecuted or living in exile, according to a party official.”Some believe the movement is dead, but that is not the case,” said political scientist Slaheddine Jourchi.Ennahdha has been “weakened to the point of clinical death” but remained the most prominent party in Tunisia’s “fragmented and fragile” opposition, Jourchi added.- ‘Once we’re free again’ -Riadh Chaibi, a party official and adviser to Ghannouchi, said that even after “shrinking” its political platform, Ennahdah was still a relevant opposition outlet.”Despite repression, prosecutions and imprisonment” since 2021, “Ennahdha remains the country’s largest political movement,” Chaibi said.He said the current government has been “weaponising state institutions to eliminate political opponents”, but “once we’re free again, like we were in 2011, Ennahdha will regain its strength”.Since 2011, when Ghannouchi returned from exile to lead the party, Ennahdha for years had a key role in Tunisian politics, holding the premiership and other senior roles.But by 2019, the year Saied was elected president, the party’s popularity had already begun waning, winning only a third of the 1.5 million votes it had in 2011.Experts ascribed this trend to the party’s failure to improve living standards and address pressing socio-economic issues.Ennahdha has also been accused of jihadist links, which it has repeatedly denied.Saied, who religiously avoids mentioning either Ennahdha or Ghannouchi by name, has often referred to the party’s years in power as “the black decade” and accused it of committing “crimes against the country”.Crowds of Tunisians, increasingly disillusioned as a political deadlock trumped Ennahdha’s promise of change, poured into the streets in celebration when Saied forced the party out of the halls of power in 2021.Analyst Jourchi said Ennahdha’s rise to power was a “poorly prepared adventure”, and the party had “made many mistakes along the way”.Left-wing politician Mongi Rahoui said it was “only natural that Ennahdha leaders and their governing partners be prosecuted for crimes they used their political position to commit”.Today, the party’s activities have been reduced mostly to issuing statements online, often reacting to prison sentences handed down to critics of Saied.- ‘Silence everything’ -But Ennahdha has weathered repression before, harshly suppressed under Tunisia’s autocratic presidents Habib Bourguiba and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.Party leaders were jailed or forced into exile, and Ghannouchi was sentenced to life in prison under Bourguiba but then freed — and later exiled — under Ben Ali.Tunisian historian Abdellatif Hannachi said that the party “seems to be bending with the wind, waiting for changes that would allow it to return”.It has been in “clear decline”, he added, but “that does not mean it’s disappearing.”Ennahdha’s downfall was not an isolated case. Other opposition forces have also been crushed, and dozens of political, media and business figures are currently behind bars.”This regime no longer distinguishes between Islamist and secular, progressive and conservative,” rights advocate Kamel Jendoubi, a former minister, recently said in a Facebook post.Saied’s government “wants to silence everything that thinks, that criticises, or resists”, Jendoubi argued.The opposition, however, remains fractured, failing for example to come together in rallies planned for the anniversary this month of Saied’s power grab.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move.At least 142 countries now recognise or plan to recognise Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally — though Israel and the United States strongly oppose the move.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a “reckless decision (that) only serves Hamas propaganda”.”It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th,” he wrote on X, alluding to the Islamist militant group’s attack on Israel in 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza.Several countries have announced plans to recognise statehood for the Palestinians since Israel launched a bombardment of Gaza nearly two years ago in response to the Hamas attacks.Macron’s announcement drew immediate anger from Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying it “rewards terror” and poses an existential threat to Israel.Netanyahu said in a statement that the decision “risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became”, which would be “a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it”.Senior Palestinian Authority official Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed the move, saying it “reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state”.Hamas hailed Macron’s pledge as a “positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and supporting their legitimate right to self-determination”.”We call on all countries of the world –especially European nations and those that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine — to follow France’s lead,” it added.- ‘Urgent priority’ -International concern is growing about the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where the fighting has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings of mass starvation.Israel has rejected accusations it is responsible for Gaza’s deepening hunger crisis, which the World Health Organization has called “man-made” and France blamed on an Israeli “blockade”.Macron said the “urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population”.”We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,” he wrote on social media.On the streets of the occupied West Bank, Palestinians told AFP that they hoped other countries would now follow suit.Mahmoud al-Ifranji called France’s pledge “a moral commitment” and a “political victory for the Palestinian people”.Another man, Nahed Abu Taima, said he hopes France’s decision will help lead to peace.”This recognition will lead to the recognition of Palestine by a number of countries in Europe and the world,” he added. – ‘Path’ to statehood -Macron said he intended to make the announcement at the UN General Assembly in September.While France would be the most significant European power to recognise a Palestinian state, others have hinted they could do the same.Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would hold a call  on Friday with counterparts in Germany and France on efforts to stop the fighting, adding that a ceasefire would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state”.Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all announced recognition following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, along with several other non-European countries.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country already recognises Palestinian statehood, welcomed Macron’s announcement.”Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution,” the Socialist leader, an outspoken critic of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, wrote on X.Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry hailed Macron’s announcement as “historic” and urged other countries to follow suit.Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Harris in a post on X called France’s move “the only lasting basis for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike”.Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,587 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move.At least 142 countries now recognise or plan to recognise Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally — though Israel and the United States strongly oppose the moves.Several countries have announced plans to recognise statehood for the Palestinians since Israel launched a bombardment of Gaza in 2023 in response to the October 7 attacks.Macron’s announcement drew immediate anger from Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying it “rewards terror” and poses an existential threat to Israel.Netanyahu said in a statement that the move “risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became”, which would be “a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it”.Senior Palestinian Authority official Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed the move, saying it “reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state”.- ‘Urgent priority’ -International concern is growing about the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where the fighting has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings of mass starvation.Israel has rejected accusations it is responsible for Gaza’s deepening hunger crisis, which the World Health Organization has called “man-made” and France blamed on an Israeli “blockade”.Macron said the “urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population”.”We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,” he wrote on social media.On the streets of the occupied West Bank, Palestinians told AFP that they hoped other countries would now follow suit.Mahmoud al-Ifranji called France’s pledge “a moral commitment” and a “political victory for the Palestinian people”.”We are very grateful for this French position,” added another man, Nahed Abu Taima, hoping it would lead to peace in Israel’s war against Hamas militants in Gaza.”This recognition will lead to the recognition of Palestine by a number of countries in Europe and the world.” – ‘Path’ to statehood -Macron said he intended to make the announcement at the UN General Assembly in September.While France would be the most significant European power to recognise a Palestinian state, others have hinted they could do the same.Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would hold a call with counterparts in Germany and France on efforts to stop the fighting on Friday, adding that a ceasefire would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state”.Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all announced recognition following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, along with several other non-European countries.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country already recognises Palestinian statehood, welcomed Macron’s announcement.”Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution,” the Socialist leader, an outspoken critic of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, wrote on X.Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,587 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Stock markets mostly bumped upwards Thursday as hopes grew that the European Union could strike a trade deal with the United States, while Tesla shares nosedived on poor earnings results.Investors have profited in recent weeks from wagers that governments will eventually hammer out pacts with Donald Trump ahead of the US president’s looming August 1 …

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Three quarters of UN members recognise a state of Palestine, with major power France set to join them in September following an announcement Thursday by its President Emmanuel Macron.The Israel-Hamas war, raging in Gaza since the Palestinian militant group’s attack on October 7, 2023, has revived a global push for Palestinians to be given a state of their own.The action breaks with the long-held view of Western powers that Palestinians can only gain statehood as part of a negotiated peace with Israel.According to an AFP tally, at least 142 countries out of the 193 UN members have now recognised or plan to recognise a Palestinian state.They include most Middle Eastern, African, Latin American and Asian countries, but not the United States, Canada, most of western Europe, Australia, Japan or South Korea.Here is a quick recap of the Palestinians’ quest for statehood:- 1988: Arafat proclaims state -On November 15, 1988, during the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising against Israeli rule, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat unilaterally proclaimed an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.He made the announcement in Algiers at a meeting of the exiled Palestinian National Council, which adopted the two-state solution as a goal, with independent Israeli and Palestinian states existing side-by-side.Minutes later, Algeria became the first country to officially recognise an independent Palestinian state.Within a week, dozens of other countries, including much of the Arab world, India, Turkey, most of Africa and several central and eastern European countries followed suit.The next wave of recognitions came in late 2010 and early 2011, at a time of crisis for the Middle East peace process.South American countries including Argentina, Brazil and Chile answered calls by the Palestinians to endorse their statehood claims.This came in response to Israel’s decision to end a temporary ban on Jewish settlement-building in the occupied West Bank.- 2011-2012: UN recognition -In 2011, with peace talks at a standstill, the Palestinians pushed ahead with a campaign for full UN membership for a state of Palestine.The quest failed but, in a groundbreaking move on October 31 of that year, the UN cultural agency UNESCO voted to accept the Palestinians as a full member, much to the dismay of Israel and the United States.In November 2012, the Palestinian flag was raised for the first time at the United Nations in New York after the General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to upgrade the status of the Palestinians to “non-member observer state”.Three years later, the International Criminal Court also accepted Palestine as a state party.- 2024: New push in Europe -Israel’s offensive in Gaza after the October 7, 2023 attack has boosted support for Palestinian statehood.Four Caribbean countries (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and the Bahamas) and Armenia took the diplomatic step in 2024.So did four European countries: Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia, the latter three EU members.Within the European Union, this was a first in 10 years since Sweden’s move in 2014, which resulted in years of strained relations with Israel.Other member states such as Poland, Bulgaria and Romania had already done so in 1988, long before joining the EU.On the other hand, some former Eastern bloc countries such as Hungary and the Czech Republic do not or no longer recognise a state of Palestine.Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday called for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying such a move could “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”Among other countries that could also formally express recognition, Malta, Australia and Canada have raised the possibility.

The United States joined Israel on Thursday in pulling its negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks, with special envoy Steve Witkoff blaming Hamas for failing to reach a deal and saying Washington would “consider alternative options”.France meanwhile announced it would formally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, a move President Emmanuel Macron said can “contribute to the security of all in the Middle East”.In Qatar, mediators have been shuttling between Israeli and Hamas delegations for more than two weeks in a bid to secure a breakthrough in indirect talks for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages after nearly two years of fighting.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was still seeking a ceasefire despite recalling its negotiators from Doha, accusing Hamas of blocking an agreement.Pressure is mounting over the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in Gaza, where the fighting has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings that “mass starvation” was spreading.After Hamas submitted its response to mediators on the latest ceasefire proposal, Netanyahu’s office said Israeli negotiators were returning for consultations.”We are working to reach another deal for the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu said.”But if Hamas interprets our willingness to reach a deal as a weakness, as an opportunity to dictate surrender terms that would endanger the State of Israel, it is gravely mistaken.”Witkoff accused Hamas of not “acting in good faith”, and said the United States was bringing home its team.Hamas’s response “clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza,” Witkoff said on social media.Washington would now “consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” he added.A Palestinian source familiar with the talks said Hamas’s response included proposed amendments to clauses on the entry of aid, maps of areas from which the Israeli army should withdraw, and guarantees on securing a permanent end to the war.- ‘Enough’ -In Khan Yunis, in Gaza’s south, Umm al-Abd Nassar urged Hamas to secure a truce after her son was killed in one of a series of Israeli strikes that the civil defence agency said claimed the lives of dozens of civilians.”They need to do something. Enough with this destruction and people dying,” she told AFP.Israel has rejected accusations it is responsible for Gaza’s deepening hunger crisis, which the World Health Organization has called “man-made” and France blamed on an Israeli “blockade”.Instead, it accuses Hamas of preventing supplies from being distributed, and says international relief agencies were failing to pick up aid.Aid agencies have said permissions from Israel are still limited, and coordination to safely move trucks to where they are needed is a major challenge in an active war zone.Announcing the decision to recognise a Palestinian state, Macron said that “the urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population”.Palestinian statehood is now recognised by more than 140 countries, though Israel and the United States strongly oppose recognition.France would be the most significant European power to recognise a Palestinian state.- ‘Self-determination’ -Palestinian vice president Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed France’s “support for… self-determination and the establishment of our independent state”.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would hold an “emergency call” Friday with France and Germany on Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, urging a ceasefire and steps towards Palestinian statehood.”We will discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need,” Starmer said.”A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”Through more than 21 months of fighting, both Israel and Hamas have clung to long-held positions, preventing two short-lived truces from being converted into a lasting ceasefire.For Israel, dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities is non-negotiable, while Hamas demands firm guarantees on a lasting truce, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops and the free flow of aid into Gaza.Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,587 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggeed the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.