TUNISIA: NIDAA TOUNES CANCELS PARTY MEETING DUE TO INTERNAL DISAGREEMENTS

Tunis, 21 Muharram 1437/3 November 2015 (MINA) – Nidaa Tounes, one of Tunisia’s four ruling parties, has cancelled a meeting of its founding body in the city of Hammamat following the eruption of violence at the meeting venue between opposing factions of the party.

“This is a fascist attack by militias that are strange to the party aims and only want to prevent this meeting from taking place,” said a statement released by the party’s Executive Bureau.

The statement accused “some” of the party’s leaders of inciting violence in an attempt to “take over the party” and restructure it. Middle  East Monitor (MEMO) reported, Tuesday (3/11).

The statement blamed the acts of violence and the attacks on property and individuals on Party Deputy Hafedh Essebsi, along with Cabinet Director Ridha Belhaj, a member of the party’s Political Bureau, and other party leaders loyal to them.

Violence erupted between a group loyal to Secretary General Mohsen Marzouk and another group known for its loyalty to the Party Leader Hafedh Caid Essebsi after some members of the party’s local bureaus refused to attend the meeting.

Nidaa Tounes holds an 86-seat majority in the Tunisian parliament.

Its founding body was scheduled to meet to agree on a date for holding the party’s first founding congress.

Observers attribute the internal divisions sweeping the party to reasons related to Tunisia’s national identity and the party’s alliance with the Ennahda movement. (T/P002/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)