Tunisian President Pushes for Equal Inheritance Among Women and Men

Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi on Monday announced his intention to introduce a draft legislation to parliament, aimed at guaranteeing equal inheritance opportunity for women, just as it is for men.

In Islam doctrines, males inherit twice as much as females, but President Essebsi stressed that the North African country was a liberal one.

Essebsi stressed that citizens should have the right to choose constitutional provisions or Islamic Sharia law when dealing with issues relating to inheritance.

“The president of the state is a leader for everybody; his duty is to unify [the people],” he said.

“We hope this bill will find consensus in parliament,” he added.

He is also expected to announce bills on LGBT rights, but he said he would first set up a committee to study his proposals before publishing them, in order to avoid a backlash or be called an infidel.