Assassination of Chokri Belaid is an attack on Tunisian democracy

We express our sorrow and send our condolences and solidarity to his wife, two daughters, his party, the Popular Front and the Tunisian people as a whole.

Chokri Belaid was a leading figure of the Tunisian Revolution. He was always opposed to political violence today and in the past and defended democracy and social justice.

The GUE/NGL understands the emotion aroused by this cowardly murder but calls the Tunisian people to not give in to such provocation and the spiral of violence.

The GUE/NGL demands that the country’s authorities make every effort to ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly identified and requests that steps be taken immediately to protect the other leaders of the Popular Front.

 More than ever, the EU must help Tunisian democracy. We have already lost too much time. The EU must take concrete action to support democracy in Tunisia and open real development opportunities for the Tunisian people. To do so, it must create the conditions for a genuine partnership with Tunisia and not merely put again on the table what was already there under Ben Ali. It must allow the immediate repatriation of the frozen assets of the deposed dictator, implement a moratorium and an audit of the Tunisian debt and cancel the odious foreign debt, instead of lobbying to establish a free trade area that would aggravate the economic situation in the country.

This is about the survival of democracy in Tunisia, but also of peace in the region.

Gabi Zimmer, President                                                   

Marie-Christine Vergiat, MEP

GUE/NGL Group in the European Parliament