Nidaa Tounes

Nidaa Tounes[5] (Arabic: حركة نداء تونس Ḥarakat Nidā’ Tūnis, French: Appel de la Tunisie; usually translated as "Call of Tunisia", "Call for Tunisia",[6] or "Tunisia's Call"[7]) is a big tent secularist political party in Tunisia. After being founded in 2012, the party won a plurality of seats in the October 2014 parliamentary election.[8] The party's founding leader Beji Caid Essebsi was elected President of Tunisia in the 2014 presidential election.

Nidaa Tounes
حركة نداء تونس
ChairpersonKhemaies Jhinaoui
Secretary GeneralKassem Makhlouf
FounderBeji Caid Essebsi
Founded16 June 2012 (2012-06-16)
Headquarters3, rue du Lac de Garde
Les Berges du Lac
1053 Tunis
Youth wingNidaa Tounes Youth Movement
Membership (2014)110,000[1]
IdeologyBourguibism[2][3]
Social democracy
Third Way
Big tent
Secularism[4]
Political positionCentre to centre-left
Colours  Red
Slogan"Call of Tunisia, A call for all Tunisians"
Assembly of the Representatives of the People
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History

Foundation

The party's foundation was announced when former prime minister Beji Caid Essebsi on 20 April 2012 launched his Call for Tunisia as a response to post-revolutionary "instances of disturbing extremism and violence that threaten public and individual liberties, as well as the security of the citizens".[9] It was officially founded on 16 June 2012 and describes itself as a "modernist"[10] and "social-democratic" party of the moderate left.[11] However, it also includes notable economically liberal currents.[12][13][14]

The party has patched together former members of ousted president Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally, secular leftists, progressive liberals and Destourians (followers of Tunisia's "founder" Habib Bourguiba). In addition, the party has the support of many members of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) and the national employers' union, UTICA. They believe that Tunisia's secular forces have to unite to counter the dominance of the Islamist Ennahda Movement.[10][4]

From its foundation until July 2013, 11 members of the Constituent Assembly joined the party by defecting from various other parties.[15]

Union for Tunisia

On 11 February 2013, the Republican Party joined Nidaa Tounes and four other parties in a political alliance called Union for Tunisia (UPT).[16] Moreover, it participated in the formation of the broad oppositional National Salvation Front in July 2013.[17] However, ahead of the October 2014 legislative election, Nidaa Tounes decided to run its own lists and not to contest the election as part of the UPT.[18]

2014 to present

The party has seen tensions between supporters of Essebsi's son, Hafedh Essebsi, and others. Former member Mohsen Marzouk went on to create a party named Machrouu Tounes[19] while prime minister Youssef Chahed formed a new party named Tahya Tounes.[20]

Prominent members
  • Beji Caid Essebsi, former president of the party,[10] former prime minister of the 2011 post-revolution transitional government, former minister under Habib Bourguiba
  • Taïeb Baccouche, the party's secretary-general,[10] former secretary-general of the Tunisian General Labour Union, former president of the Arab Institute of Human Rights, minister of education in the post-revolution transitional government led by Essebsi (2011)
  • Faouzi Elloumi, a wealthy businessman and member of the executive committee[10]
  • Mohsen Marzouk,[10] member of the executive committee charged with external relations
  • Mahmoud Ben Rhomdane, one of the party's chief economic advisors[10]
  • Lazhar Karoui Chebbi, former minister of justice in Essebsi's cabinet (2011)
  • Boujemaa Remili, former leader of the Tunisian Communist Party[21]
  • Wafa Makhlouf Sayadi, head of the Center for Young Corporate Leaders (CJD)[11]
  • Ridha Belhaj, one of the party founders, actual Chief of Staff of the Tunisian presidency and former Chief Cabinet Secretary in Beji Caid Essebsi's 2011 post-revolution transitional government.
  • Faïza Kefi, member of the first executive committee[22]

Election results
Election year # of total votes % of overall vote # of seats Government
Assembly of the Representatives of the People
2014 1,279,941 37.56%
86 / 217
 Coalition (2014-2019)
Opposition (2019)
2019 43,213 1.51%
3 / 217
 Coalition (2020-2020)
Opposition (2020-present)

References
  1. "L'interview intégrale de Béji Caïd Essebsi à Leaders : J'irai jusqu'au bout!" (in French). 1 September 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. Steve A. Cook (12 November 2014). "Tunisia: First Impressions". Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  3. "In the shade of Bourguiba". The Economist. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  4. Churchill, Erik (27 June 2012), "The 'Call for Tunisia'", Foreign Policy
  5. Feuer, Sarah (3 October 2014). "Elections in Tunisia: Steps Toward Democratic Consolidation". Policywatch. The Washington Institute.
  6. Tajine, Synda (21 June 2012). "Tunisia's Most Intimidating Statesman Creates New Party". AL Monitor.
  7. "Country profile Tunisia". The World Factbook. CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). 2014.
  8. Monica Marks (29 October 2014). "The Tunisian election result isn't simply a victory for secularism over Islamism". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  9. "L'Appel de Tunisie de Béji Caïd Essebsi". Business News. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  10. Monica Marks; Omar Belhaj Salah (28 March 2013). "Uniting for Tunisia?". Sada. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  11. Tavana, Daniel; Russell, Alex (October 2014). "Previewing Tunisia's Parliamentary & Presidential Elections" (PDF). Project on Middle East Democracy. p. 9. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  12. Schäfer, Isabel (4 November 2014). "After the first free parliamentary elections in Tunisia: New horizons or back to square one?". Qantara.de.
  13. Turak, Natasha. "Nidaa Tounes Leads Ennahdha by Strong Margin". Tunisia-live.net. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  14. Wolf, Anne (December 2014). "Power Shift in Tunisia: Electoral Success of Secular Parties Might Deepen Polarization" (PDF). SWP Comments (54). German Institute for International and Security Affairs: 4. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. "Deux élues d'Ettakatol rejoignent Nidaa Tounès", Tunisie Numerique, 9 July 2013
  16. Union for Tunisia: Jebali's initiative "step forward on right path", TAP, 12 February 2013, archived from the original on 17 February 2013
  17. Tunisia: Political Parties and Civil Society Components Announce Formation of National Salvation Front, Tunis Africa Presse, 26 July 2013, retrieved 15 September 2013
  18. "Après la défection de Nidaa Tounès : L'Union pour la Tunisie dans l'expectative !". Le Temps. 28 June 2014.
  19. "Tunisia's Nidaa Tounes in shambles amid political turbulence". Al Jazeera. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  20. "Tunisia's secular opposition forms new party". Al Jazeera. 27 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  21. Barrouhi, Abdelaziz (28 June 2012). "Tunisie : l'appel du 16 juin de Béji Caïd Essebsi". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  22. "Composition du Bureau politique de Nidaa Tounes". allAfrica (in French). 22 March 2015. ProQuest 1665316208. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  • Stepan, Alfred; Linz, Juan J. (2014). Democratization Theory and the "Arab Spring". p. 90. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
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