Popular Front (Tunisia)

The Popular Front for the Realization of the Objectives of the Revolution (Arabic: الجبهة الشعبية لتحقيق أهداف الثورة; French: Front populaire pour la réalisation des objectifs de la révolution), abbreviated as the Popular Front (ej-Jabha), is a leftist political and electoral alliance in Tunisia, made up of nine political parties and numerous independents.

Popular Front
الجبهة الشعبية
French nameFront populaire
Abbreviationej-Jabha
SpokespersonHamma Hammami[1]
Founded7 October 2012 (2012-10-07)
IdeologySocialism
Secularism[2]
Arab nationalism
Pan-Arabism
Factions:
Political positionLeft-wing to far-left
ColorsRed
Parties
List:
Assembly of the
Representatives
of the People
0 / 217
Website
front-populaire.org

The coalition was formed in October 2012, bringing together 12 mainly left-wing Tunisian parties including the Democratic Patriots' Unified Party, the Workers' Party, Green Tunisia, the Movement of Socialist Democrats (which has since left), the Tunisian Ba'ath Movement and Arab Democratic Vanguard Party, two different parties of the Iraqi branch of Ba'ath Party, and other progressive parties.[4] The number of parties involved in the coalition has since decreased to nine.[5] Approximately 15,000 people attended the coalition's first meeting in Tunis.[6]

History

The Tunisian Revolution in 2011 saw the departure of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the dissolution of his party, the Democratic Constitutional Rally, and the holding of fresh elections for the creation of a new constitution. This saw the Tunisian political scene dominated by the Islamist Ennahda Movement, and its allies the Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties, the Progressive Democratic Party, and the Congress for the Republic.

Graffiti tag on wall reading "Popular Front against Poverty."

Former Prime Minister Béji Caïd Essebsi then decided to return to Tunisian political life, and formed a new party known as the Nidaa Tounes, which is mostly composed of secular Tunisians, including centrists and those who are more right wing, including former supporters of the RCD. Twelve leftist parties then decided to form a Popular Front in order to better consolidate the previously divided Tunisian left wing so as to be able to compete more effectively in the upcoming elections.[7][8]

Murder of Chokri Belaid

The 48-year-old coordinator of the Popular Front coalition, Chokri Belaid, was killed by an unknown gunman on 6 February 2013.[9] An estimated 1,400,000 people took part in his funeral,[10] while protesters clashed with police and Ennahda supporters,[11] who held a separate rally, attended by an estimated 15,000 people, on the day of the funeral defending the party against calls to give up power.[2] The ruling Ennahda Movement denied involvement in his death.[2] The Popular Front, along with the secular Republican Party and Nidaa Tounes, subsequently announced they would withdraw from the national assembly and call for a general strike.[11] On 9 April 2013, Mohamed Brahmi, General Secretary of the minor People's Movement, which holds 2 seats in the National Constituent Assembly, announced the decision of his party to join the Popular Front.[12]

Murder of Mohamed Brahmi

On 25 July 2013, Mohamed Brahmi, a founder and former member of the Popular Front,[13] was assassinated. Numerous protests erupted in the streets following his assassination.[14]

Election results
Election year # of total votes % of overall vote # of seats
Assembly of the Representatives of the People
2014 124,654 3,66%
15 / 217
2019 32,365 1.13%
1 / 217

Member parties

Current

Former

These parties were temporarily affiliated with the Popular Front, but have left it:

See also

References
  1. "Popular Front Opposition Quits Tunisian Assembly After Chokri Belaid's Murder". Huffington Post. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  2. "Tunisian PM fails to form technocratic government". Mmegi. 20 February 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  3. "The Tunisian Elections - Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung".
  4. "A new stage in left regroupment". Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  5. Jano Charbel (13 October 2014). "The left of the Arab world". Mada Masr. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  6. "Popular Front is Born". Demotix. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  7. "Tunisian opposition groups call a strike, pull out of national assembly". Al Arabiya. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  8. Yasmine Ryan (23 October 2012). "Features Tunisian politicians struggle to deliver". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  9. "Who killed Tunisia's Chokri Belaid?". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  10. "Tunisie: Plus d'un million de Tunisiens aux obsèques de Chokri Belaïd". 20minutes.fr. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  11. "Tunisia pledges new govt after opposition leader's killing". Daily Star. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  12. "Tunisia: 'Echaab' Movement Joins Popular Front"
  13. "Thousands attend funeral of Tunisian MP". Al Jazeera. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  14. "Tunisia politician Brahmi shot dead". BBC News. 2013-07-25. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
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