By UMAR ABDURRAHMAN
Tunisia’s government approved on Friday the law for gender equality in inheritance, allowing men and women equal inheritance rights. This came after the 92 years old President Beji Caid Essebsi launched the initiative in August last year on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, August 13, 2017.
Essebsi’s initiative, which was launched under the slogan “Equality: A Right, Not a Privilege,” was based on the Tunisian constitution that upholds ‘Citizenship, the will of the people, and the supremacy of the law.’ In his speech on the occasion of the international Women's Day, the president said "saying the authoritative source in Tunisia is a religious one, is an error, an outrageous error" He further stated that; "the (man made) constitution is what is governing us and it is supreme authority when it comes to legislation."
Essebsi’s insistence on gender equality, received heavy criticism in Tunisia and in other Islamic countries. This only gave a clearer picture why the 98% sunni Muslim state earned the tittle 'most democratic Arab state' after dumping the Qur'ān - Islamic law- for the European styled man made law (constitution).
No wonder the right wing commentators refer to these Arab leaders as puppets or clowns.