In his speech on National Women’s Day Aug. 13 in Tunisia, President Beji Caid Essebsi called for legal amendments to the inheritance law to ensure equal rights for men and women, and he called for Tunisian women to be able to marry non-Muslims, which he believes is not in direct conflict with Sharia or the Tunisian constitution.

The president’s statements sparked widespread controversy among conservative and liberal forces in the country.

“It is necessary to develop personal status laws in such a way to promote equality and to keep pace with modern legislation and changing modern times. This is especially true since law No. 73 — which bans Tunisian women from marrying non-Muslim men — has become an obstacle to the freedom of choice of the spouse. This is also necessary for the legal status of many [Tunisian] women married to foreigners. One ought to bring to mind as well Article 6 of the Tunisian constitution, which recognizes the freedom of belief and conscience and holds the state responsible for safeguarding it,” Essebsi said in his speech.

In Article 21, the Tunisian constitution stipulates that “all citizens, male and female, have equal rights and duties, and are equal before the law without any discrimination.” Article 46 states: “The state commits to protect women’s accrued rights and works to strengthen and develop those rights. The state guarantees the equality of opportunities between women and men to have access to all levels of responsibility in all domains.”