Al-Ghanu̅shi̅: We did not hold the presidency in order to protect the nascent democracy and to avoid the fate of Egypt

Speaking at an event for the I̅bn al-Rashid Prize for Freedom of Thought, Ra̅shid al-Ghanu̅shi̅, the head of the Islamic Revival Movement in Tunis, has stated that the movement avoided contesting the presidential elections to protect Tunisia’s nascent democracy. He further stated that the movement in Tunisia wanted to avoid the fate of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and that the movement should become a model for the rest of the region. In his estimation, the experience of the Islamic Revival Movement in Tunisia proves that Islamists can have faith in democracy after gaining power. He stressed the importance of undermining militant Islamist groups through the promotion of democracy and human development.