Tunisian President, Beji Caid Essebsi on Monday announced his support for a bill that will ensure that men and women have equal rights to inheritance.

The draft inheritance equality bill has sparked controversy as it departs from a principle inspired by the Koran in many Arab countries.

In a televised speech to mark Tunisian women’s day, Essebsi said the law would allow the testator the possibility to either apply the constitution or choose freedom.

“I propose to make equality in inheritance a law. God willing, Mr. President (of the Tunisian Parliament), when this law comes to you, you will look at it with an open mind because it is a project for the future, for the future of Tunisia and I hope it will unite people,” Essebsi said.

The president further called on elected officials of Ennahdha to vote for the bill, which he maintained must be presented to the deputies at the end of the parliamentary recess. 

The current law, which is based on Islamic law, provides that as a rule, a man inherits the double of a woman of the same degree of kinship.

Meanwhile, thousands of pro-social reforms protesters largely made up of women gathered in the Tunisian capital on Monday to support proposed reforms by President Essebsi..

Equal inheritance is one of the most debated issues among a series of societal reforms proposed by a commission created by the Tunisian president in 2017.

The announcement comes as the ruling party, Nidaa Tounès, founded by Essebsi in 2012, is facing a power struggle in its leadership in the run-up to the legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 2019.