Heckled in Paris, the Tunisian president presents himself as a man of consensus

While Jack Lang, the president of the IMA, began a speech to welcome in a large room on the 9th floor of the Institute, a feminist activist from the Femen group, then a second, then a third, sitting incognito in assistance, rushed suddenly shirtless, screaming to the dais where Marzouki sat, face with a paralysed assistance.
 
"Free Amina", the three activists had time to shout, the name of a Tunisian 19 years hiding in his country for fear of reprisals from Islamists, since the publication of pictures of her topless.
 
The three protesters were quickly expelled by the service for order.
 
"The meetings are free in the IMA and peaceful," Jack Lang soberly commented, while Moncef Marzouki said he was "quite surprised by the form", recalling that he was "always an activist for human rights who understands and sympathises with all suffering. "
 Marzouki, on a private visit to France, then gave a conference on the future of the Arab revolutions, on the occasion of the publication of his latest book "The invention of democracy. Lessons from the Tunisian experience." Then he responded to harsh criticism in the audience, some reproaching him for his alliance with the Islamist party Ennahda or receiving "armed militias" of the League for the Protection of the Revolution (LPR).
 
"I received all the Tunisian political spectrum, even Salafists. I received everyone, I need to talk to everyone," said Marzouki.


"TWO SOCIETIES IN AMBUSH"

As for the alliance of his party, the Congress for the Republic, with Ennahda in power, he explained: "We could not make an alliance, if it was condemning the country to chaos", he provided, noting that there were "Islamists who were totally refractory to democracy." "But we also have our Muslim democrats. We must leave aside simplifications," he exclaimed.
 
There are "two societies in ambush" in Tunisia, "two social groups face to face," but "we must find a way to live together," the president said his critics accusing him of favouring Islamists.
 
"It occurred to me very clearly that we must find a consensus, a modus vivendi," he insisted, saying that "you can not make a democracy with extremes."
 
"The path towards democracy is slow, long, and difficult, but the Tunisian transition is less costly in lives and faster and I'm proud of it," he further said.
 
Outside the IMA, dozens of demonstrators from Tunisia, kept at bay by ranks of CRS and metal barriers, waving placards, calling Mr. Marzouki "Robespierre", the French revolutionary but also a symbol of Terror after the fall of the monarchy in 1789.
 
Some parodied the title of his book, which became "The murder of democracy", or "The invention of a human rights violation."
 
"Who killed Chokri Belaid?" Secular opponent assassinated in Tunis on February 6, you could also read on he placards.
 
"The police are on the case and I'm behind the Minister of Interior. We should find the murderer," said Marzouki in the debate, rejecting the contention of a participant that "80% of Tunisians say Ennahda is behind the assassination. "
 
"No one is more conscious than myself of this democracy," he said the president, who was warmly applauded.
 
But at the end of the debate,there were still cries in the audience of : "Mr. Handyman democracy", "Qatar", "Sold".