--- title: Islamic and Secular Showdown in Tunisia | TIME description: Days before Tunisia's first democratic elections, protests raise tensions between secularists and Islamic parties canonical: https://time.com/video/yB2m7J5z/ og:title: Islamic and Secular Showdown in Tunisia og:description: Days before Tunisia's first democratic elections, protests raise tensions between secularists and Islamic parties og:url: https://time.com/video/yB2m7J5z/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/yB2m7J5z/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Islamic and Secular Showdown in Tunisia twitter:description: Days before Tunisia's first democratic elections, protests raise tensions between secularists and Islamic parties twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/yB2m7J5z/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Islamic and Secular Showdown in Tunisia > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Islamic and Secular Showdown in Tunisia [Watch (HLS stream): Islamic and Secular Showdown in Tunisia](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/yB2m7J5z.m3u8) (4:26)  _Published 2011-10-21. Days before Tunisia's first democratic elections, protests raise tensions between secularists and Islamic parties_ --- Jul 27, 2023 3:18 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Rapping with Tunisia's El General](/video/nHt7OlhX/) ### Rapping with Tunisia's El General [Rapping with Tunisia's El General](/video/oT21QoJG/) ### Rapping with Tunisia's El General [New Uprisings Against Tunisia's Old Ways](/video/8Pi7oAXZ/) ### New Uprisings Against Tunisia's Old Ways --- ## Transcript This is a scene that would have been unimaginable before Tunisia's revolution in January. After Friday prayer, thousands of Islamists, a group once repressed and imprisoned by dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, poured into the streets calling for an Islamic state to be established in Tunisia. [ SOUND ] The protests post tensions between Tunisian secularists and Islamists to a high point, just days before the countries first democratic elections. This is separate from the elections, even if the elections weren't happening you can't touch God. It's forbidden in Islam. This is a Zionist- American plot. A program to rip Islam away from Tunisians. [ FOREIGN ] The unchecked rise of Islamist opinion in post- revolution Tunisia is causing anxiety among women, ethnic minorities like Berbers, and religious minorities like the country's Jewish community. Jews are already live everywhere, but in Tunisia more because, because of this problem. Big, big mistake is to mix future of a country with its politics, and its economics, and the religion. I've seen, if you get to that point, any country can not function. This week's election is crucial because it will choose the assembly that will write Tunisia's new constitution. One party, the Islamists al- Nahda is favored to come out on top with some 20 % of votes, according to a recent poll. And with the current tensions, the party is quick to point out that it is a moderate one. Nahda does not represent Islam. Freedom of speech, freedom of expression is, is, is, is of paramount importance and we have, you know, striven for, for this. We are not for restricting these freedoms. But as you said, this should be you know, done responsibly and will, with respect of the others' opinions. [ SOUND ] But secular parties like the Ettajdid party say al- Nahda centrist line masks its true hardline intention. [ FOREIGN ] It has two lines. Sometimes al- Nahda's leaders say they have nothing against the progressive gains of Tunisian society. But in the mosques they try to say no, we are an Islamic party. We want to fully apply the precepts of Islam. [ FOREIGN ] Formed in 1989. [ SOUND ] Al- Nahda was a party banned and brutally repressed by Ben Ali for its Islamist ideology. Since January, it has returned with considerable force in Tunisia. Its main advantage over the secular parties, access to the people and a clear political program. [ FOREIGN_LANGUAGE ] The mosque serves as an unofficial canvasing platform for al- Nahda. The mistake the secular parties have made is to continue a negative campaign against al- Nahda, instead of offering a solid political program, a program with which they could counterbalance al- Nahda. [ FOREIGN_LANGUAGE ] For now, a counterbalance to the growing Islamist's voice is coming from secular citizens in the streets. This march called for protected freedoms in the new constitution. Marchers criticized al- Nahda and the Islamists. [ FOREIGN_LANGUAGE ] If certain parties get power, it's clear things will change. We need our freedom. We, we stay we want to stay secular. And we respect people who need more Islam, more Tanisians are learning how to discuss. We have two, two really, two different way of seeing things and we have to learn how to do it. Democracy can be messy and Tunisia is learning that first- hand. What happens in the first step may determine what Tunisian democracy looks liek for years to come. Don Duncan for Time Video, Tunis. 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