Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-01-21-Speech-4-016"
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"en.20100121.2.4-016"2
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"Mr President, Tunisia’s situation is overall a positive one it seems. They have the most stable society in North Africa. They have what is technically a democracy, though possibly only a semi-democracy by Western standards, but we should not criticise them for that, since they have made much progress. There is an official policy of working towards full democracy, and Tunisia is a stable society with a high level of personal security. This has been achieved by the suppression of their Islamist extremists and Communists, which is a price well worth paying. Its official policy is the pursuit of cultural unity – the creation of one nation. This is a lesson that many European countries – including mine, the United Kingdom – could well learn.
Economically, they are progressing. Only 7% of the population lives below the poverty line. It has one of the best health standards among countries in North Africa, with a relatively high life expectancy. Politically, their Constitution limits the number of seats a party can hold in the Chamber of Deputies, with 20% of seats being reserved for minority parties. This looks positively enlightened when compared to the ‘first past the post’ electoral system used in the United Kingdom which, in my opinion, is a conspiracy against the voter to keep the Conservative and Labour parties in and everybody else out. So maybe we should learn something from the Tunisians.
Speaking of the UK, my party, the UK Independence Party, came in for some criticism from some Islamic extremist and supposedly liberal quarters last week when we proposed a plan that people’s faces should be uncovered in public buildings, and in private buildings if those concerned wish to impose such a condition. But look at what Tunisia did. Law No 108 bans the hijab, which goes much further than anybody else has proposed. The Religious Affairs Minister, Boubaker El Akhzouri, has slammed the hijab as running counter to the country’s ‘cultural legacy’, regarding Islamic dress as ‘a foreign phenomenon’ in society. Well, that is very interesting, coming out of an Islamic country. The more I find out about Tunisia, the more positive an impression it makes. But I have seen some figures which indicate that EUR 70 million is to be spent on key projects in the EU neighbourhood scheme. My constituents, who are some of the poorest in London, cannot afford that kind of expenditure. We want trade, friendship and cooperation with Tunisia but not at the price of robbing the taxpayer in the UK. Let us help them increase their democracy and develop prosperity and, if they would like to take some free advice, let them keep well away from the European Union and preserve their freedom and independence."@en1
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