Ahmed Najib Chebbi
Encyclopedia
Ahmed Najib Chebbi or simply Najib Chebbi (born 30 July 1944) is a Tunisian
attorney and politician.
Chebbi is a prominent figure of the Tunisian opposition movement; in 1983, he founded the Democratic Progressive Party
, which gained legal recognition in 1988. He is currently the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party. In 2006, Maya Jribi
became the party's secretary-general, the first woman to hold such office in Tunisia. In 2009 Chebbi attempted to run as a candidate for President of Tunisia
but was barred from running.
In response to former authoritarian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's
statement during the 2010–2011 Tunisian protests promising 300,000 new jobs would be created and criticizing the protests, Chebbi said that despite official claims of police firing in self-defense that "the demonstrations were non-violent and the youths were claiming their rights to jobs" and that "the funeral processions [for those killed on January 9] turned into demonstrations, and the police fired [at] the youths who were at these .. processions." He then criticised Ben Ali's comments as the protesters were "claiming their civil rights, and there is no terrorist act...no religious slogans," while accusing Ben Ali of "looking for scapegoats." He further criticised the additional jobs offered as mere "promises."
Following the ousting of Ben Ali on 14 January 2011, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi contacted Chebbi and other opposition leaders in hopes of creating a coalition government until elections can be held. Chebbi "said he demanded parliamentary elections be held within six or seven months."
On 15 January 2011, Chebbi was noted by Al Jazeera
as one of three potential successors (the only one mentioned not to have been part of the Ben Ali government) to become President of Tunisia following the proposed 2011 general election
to occur within six months. It noted however that "if he is to be a contender in the next presidential election, he will need to widen his appeal."
Chebbi was named Minister of Regional Development in the new government on 17 January 2011, but he resigned in March 2011 after less than two months in his post.
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
attorney and politician.
Chebbi is a prominent figure of the Tunisian opposition movement; in 1983, he founded the Democratic Progressive Party
Progressive Democratic Party (Tunisia)
The Progressive Democratic Party , also referred to by its acronym PDP, is a secular liberal political party in Tunisia. It was founded under the name of Progressive Socialist Rally in 1983, gained legal recognition in 1988 and was renamed Progressive Democratic Party in 2001. Under the rule of Ben...
, which gained legal recognition in 1988. He is currently the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party. In 2006, Maya Jribi
Maya Jribi
Maya Jribi is a Tunisian politician. Since 2006, she has been the Secretary-General of the centre-left liberal Progressive Democratic Party ....
became the party's secretary-general, the first woman to hold such office in Tunisia. In 2009 Chebbi attempted to run as a candidate for President of Tunisia
President of Tunisia
The President of Tunisia, formally known as the President of the Tunisian Republic is the head of state of Tunisia. Tunisia is a presidential republic in which the president is the head of the executive branch of government with the assistance of the Prime Minister of Tunisia, formally the head of...
but was barred from running.
In response to former authoritarian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is a Tunisian political figure who was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987, and he assumed the Presidency on 7 November 1987 in a bloodless coup d'état that ousted President Habib Bourguiba, who was...
statement during the 2010–2011 Tunisian protests promising 300,000 new jobs would be created and criticizing the protests, Chebbi said that despite official claims of police firing in self-defense that "the demonstrations were non-violent and the youths were claiming their rights to jobs" and that "the funeral processions [for those killed on January 9] turned into demonstrations, and the police fired [at] the youths who were at these .. processions." He then criticised Ben Ali's comments as the protesters were "claiming their civil rights, and there is no terrorist act...no religious slogans," while accusing Ben Ali of "looking for scapegoats." He further criticised the additional jobs offered as mere "promises."
Following the ousting of Ben Ali on 14 January 2011, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi contacted Chebbi and other opposition leaders in hopes of creating a coalition government until elections can be held. Chebbi "said he demanded parliamentary elections be held within six or seven months."
On 15 January 2011, Chebbi was noted by Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
as one of three potential successors (the only one mentioned not to have been part of the Ben Ali government) to become President of Tunisia following the proposed 2011 general election
Tunisian general election, 2011
The next Tunisian general election was originally scheduled to be held in 2014, but it was brought forward by the Tunisian Revolution which caused the ousting of President Ben Ali on 14 January 2011...
to occur within six months. It noted however that "if he is to be a contender in the next presidential election, he will need to widen his appeal."
Chebbi was named Minister of Regional Development in the new government on 17 January 2011, but he resigned in March 2011 after less than two months in his post.