Tunis: A dissident member of the Nidaa Tunis party founded by Tunisian President Beji Qaid Al Sebsi on Sunday launched his own political grouping, several months after quitting the party.
Mohsen Marzouk, former Nidaa Tunis general secretary, announced in front of thousands of supporters the creation of the Tunis Movement Project with policies based on those of Habib Bourguiba who led the North African country to independence.
The new party also opposes the moderate Islamist Al Nahda, which became the largest group in parliament after 22 lawmakers quit Nidaa Tunis in January.
Nidaa Tunis had already been weakened by the departure of Al Sebsi, in line with the constitution, after he was elected president in December 2014.
“Our party is open to women and young people and we call on them to participate actively in political life and to assume major responsibilities,” said the new party’s charter distributed to reporters.
Nidaa Tunis had been riven by bad blood between Marzouk and the president’s son, Hafedh Qaid Al Sebsi, in what insiders said was a battle for succession.
The crisis came to a head at the end of October last year after accusations that Al Sebsi supporters wielding sticks had blocked rival party members from a meeting of its executive committee.
Nidaa Tunis was created in 2012 and included political personalities from the left and centre right, as well as former officials of the regime of ousted strongman Zine Al Abidine Bin Ali.
Nidaa Tunis now has only 64 MPs as against 69 for Al Nahda.
