MPs resign from main party in Tunisia’s ruling bloc

As many as 22 Tunisian MPs resigned from the main party in the ruling bloc on Monday in protest against its “marginalisation of the party project”. The resignations from Nidaa Tounes came a day after the party Secretary General, Mohsen Marzouk, announced his resignation and the establishment of a new political entity to be announced formally next month.

Rabiha Bin Hussein is one of those involved in the move. She said that the 22 MPs have officially submitted their resignation to party leader and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammed Nasser. She did not rule out the possibility that the MPs would join the new party to be formed by Marzouk. “We will support Marzouk’s new party if it is in line with our convictions and ideology,” she explained.

A group of 32 MPs resigned from the party last month in protest at what they claimed was a power grab by supporters of President Beji Caid Essebsi and his son, Hafez. Nidaa Tounes has been riven by in-fighting between Marzouk’s supporters and those of Hafez Essebsi.