Angela Merkel would have deserved the prize just as much as Raif Badawi or Pope Francis.
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The group includes a labor union, a trade confederation, a human rights organization and a lawyers group.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the Quartet made a “decisive contribution” to building the country’s fledgling democracy in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring.
The three men and a woman were up against a highly volatile situation when they formed their alliance: after the Jasmine revolution and fall of dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, the Islamist party Ennahda won the subsequent elections, and began to fill top state positions with loyalists with no qualifications. The Nobel Committee said the quartet has exercised its role as a mediator and driving force to advance peaceful democratic development in Tunisia with “great moral authority”.
Applauding the Quartet’s effort, the Nobel Committee said today, “More than anything, the prize is intended as an encouragement to the Tunisian people, who despite major challenges have laid the groundwork for a national fraternity” that could be a model for other countries. “Their example is an inspiration to the region and the world”, the statement from Mr. Ban further noted.
Abdessattar Ben Moussa, president of the Tunisian Human Rights League, said: “This recognition, which fills us with joy, comes at a moment when Tunisia is going through a period marked by political tensions and terrorist threats”.
In the end, the ability to form alliances between Islamist and secular politicians became a key to Tunisia restoring the hope of forming a pluralistic society.
The prize “is an honour… for all of Tunisia”, he said, expressing hope it would have an effect “for the image of Tunisia in the world” after deadly extremist attacks against tourists this year that have devastated the important tourism industry. A Tunisian democracy group won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday October 9, 2015 for its contributions to the first and most successful Arab Spring movement.
“The prize came at the right time because our country is still threatened by different security challenges”, Tunisian General Labour Union Secretary General Houcine Abassi was quoted by local Radio Mosaique FM as saying.
On Friday, Kullmann Five said the committee’s work was “directly comparable to the peace conferences mentioned by Alfred Nobel in his will”.
The UN chief reaffirmed the commitment of the UN to proudly stand in solidarity with the awardees as they work to build the peaceful and democratic nation that the Tunisian people deserve.
The Quartet, created after the political assassinations of Chokri Belaïd and Mohammed Brahmi, allowed the establishment of a political dialogue, which prevented an escalation of violence in the country.
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The National Dialogue Quartet was central to this unique triumph, the Nobel committee said. “I look forward to personally conveying my congratulations when I visit Tunis next week”, she added.
