Ghannouchi Becomes All-Embracing Brotherhood’s Deputy

Rachid Ghannouchi [راشد الغنوشي], leader of Tunisia's Islamist Ennahda Party [حزب حركة النهضة], has become the second highest-ranking figure in the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood, after he was appointed head of its political bureau.

The international Muslim Brotherhood conference held in Istanbul announced the appointment of Ghannouchi as the head of the organization's political bureau.

Ghannouchi is now second to the group's secretary general, Ibrahim Mounir Mostafa, according to the Beirut-based al-Mayadeen satellite channel.

The channel also tipped Ghannouchi as a likely successor to Yusuf al-Qaradawi as head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars.

The Brotherhood conference, held in Istanbul following the overthrow of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy, has agreed to officially term the ouster as a military coup.

The Ennahda Party, which leads Tunisia's ruling coalition, said in a statement on its official website Monday that Ghannouchi had met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyipp Erdogan.

Both leaders agreed that events in Egypt represented a coup, the statement said.

The Tunisian and Turkish leaders reportedly agreed the Egyptian military's intervention in politics was unacceptable, stating a restoration of legitimacy and inclusive national reconciliation represented the only solution to the current crisis in Egypt.

Continue ►