Mashrou Tounes backed the parliamentary presence of Nidaa Tounes against Ennahda Movement, as a preparation to end the ongoing dispute on a report tackling equality and individual freedoms.
This would occur through forming one parliamentary bloc to counter Ennahda Movement expansion in the political scene.
Nidaa Tounes and Mashrou Tounes held their first meeting after Secretary-General of Nidaa Tounes Mohsen Marzouq resigned due to a sharp disagreement with President Essebsi's son, Hafedh Caid Essebsi.
The meeting, held on Wednesday, resulted in an agreement between the two parties to form a parliamentary bloc that would represent a safety valve for the political process.
Tunisian political analyst Sarhan Sheikhawi highlighted the burdens facing the new coalition, mainly the contradictory viewpoints on the fate of Youssef Chahed government with some deputies supporting it and others calling for ousting it. Not to mention, the continuing disputes that led many to dissent politically from Nidaa Tounes and the rejection of the alliance with the Ennahda movement.
In case the deputies of the two parties allied in one parliamentary bloc, then their total number would reach 76 deputies, exceeding the number of Ennahda Movement members, which is 69. Ratification of laws requires the absolute approval of 109 deputies out of 217.
Nidaa Tounes needs the votes of a number of other political parties to pass laws despite the opposition of Ennahda Movement representatives. However, the political accord reached by President Essebsi and head of Ennahda Movement Rached Ghannouchi facilitated the political agreement over a number of topics in the parliamentary committees ahead of proposing them before parliament members.
Observers see that this new parliamentary coalition was planned by leaders of Nidaa Tounes. They added that the party that won the 2014 elections was seeking to restore its political position and to lead a modernist front that surpasses Nidaa Tounes and Mashrou Tounes to include several political parties.
