Secular government leaders announced a new party called Long Live Tunisia on Sunday, which is to be led by the prime minister and will compete in upcoming elections.
Though the premier, Youssef Chahed, was not there, thousands of supporters gathered in the coastal city of Monastir to celebrate the birth of Tahya Tounes, the party’s Arabic name.
“Leaders working to materialize this political initiative are seeking to establish a popular and democratic national party all while avoiding the mistakes made by the Nidaa Tounes,” Long Live Tounes founding member Salim al-Azabi said at the rally.
Al-Azabi added noted that the new alliance, although includes Ennahda Movement, it does not share the same direction, and only share a common objective which is to support state stability.
He criticized Nidaa Tounes for joining the Free Patriotic Union, a party whose founder Salim al-Riahi has been caught up in a corruption scandal which will see him stand trial before a military court.
Al-Azabi went on to explain that the merger was empowered by electoral checks and balances and did not succeed in birthing a comprehensive party.
The new movement was formed after months of wrangling within ruling coalition party Nidaa Tounes, resulting in the resignation of dozens of leaders.
Disagreements over whether President Beji Caid Essebsi’s son, Hafedh, is fit to run the party led to mass defections that have left the parliamentary bloc with a mere 44 seats, from an initial 86.
The feud, which cost Chahed the membership of Nidaa Tounes, spilt over to Essebsi's partnership with Ennahda, a junior partner in the national coalition government.
The fragile coalition is struggling to pass economic reforms demanded by foreign lenders.
Elections are due by the end of this year.
