Ghannouchi announced another "reshuffle" late on Thursday, with more of Ben Ali's former accomplices leaving the interim government, but of course Ghannouchi himself has kept his job. He is still claiming that there will be "transition to democracy" at some point in the next six months.
The people of Tunisia will not accept this for a moment, and renewed protests are needed to oust this government once and for all. The UGTT, Tunisian trade-union federation, has quite rightly refused to join the government but nonetheless has endorsed this reshuffle as part of the so-called "transition". This endorsement can only help to dampen the movement and is despite their positive calls for the nationalisation of the former regime's assets under the control of democratic committees.
The statement of 'The 14th of January Front' calls for a new interim government and parliamentary elections, this front is made up of the Communist Workers Party and various nationalist and 'patriotic' groups. It represents a step-back from the previous statement of the Communist's when they called for democratic committees rooted in workplaces and communities to take over the running of the country, but this call was not extended to the armed forces.
Nobody wants a new dictator but any concessions to Ghannouchi or others who call for a 'slow transition to democracy' opens up the danger that they will seize the revolution for themselves and things will not improve. Gradual reforms and attempts at lowering prices will not be enough so long as the economy is in the hands of ruling cliques and multinationals. The majority of the population will still be kept out of the political process and will still go hungry.
Young people and workers in many countries (Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Yemen, etc) now look with hope at the events of Tunisia. It would be possible to appeal to the workers, young people and the unemployed of the other countries to organise a mass movement similar to that of Tunisia. This would strengthen the Tunisian revolution itself. Ultimately, it is not only in one country that things have to change, it should happen all around the world.
The Jasmine Revolution must go forward. There needs to be a complete social change, a total break with Ben Ali's cronies, with French and American imperialism, and with capitalism itself. A socialist revolution is needed to carry out the nationalisation of the major sectors of the economy under the control and democratic management of the population. Democratic committees must form in every neighbourhood and also be extended to the army and police.
The Socialist Party gives full support to this process and has faith in the strength of the people themselves. The people are far more militant that the so-called leaders of the opposition parties and of the UGTT. This is shown by the heroic attempts at moving from a state of general strike to that of worker's control, by forcibly evicting bosses and manages from workplaces. That is because half-measures are not enough for them - they are fighting for a dignified existence, real jobs, a future for young people, and a free and democratic society.
For the latest CWI reports (in French) - http://gr-socialisme.org/
For Al-Jazeera's analysis - http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/01/201111985641326468.html
For the UGTT statement of the 18th Jan - http://www.etuc.org/IMG/pdf/UGTT_Statement_Jan_18_2_.pdf
For the '14th Jan Front' statement - http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/tunisia250111.html
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