Tunisia’s ruling party Nidaa Tounes elected two leaders in two parallel congresses following differences between rival factions, just a few months before the legislative and presidential elections that will be held at the end of 2019.
The first electoral congress held in the coastal resort of Monastir elected Hafedh Caid Essebsi, son of President Beji Caid Essebsi as head of the party’s central committee. While, the other one held in Hammamet city elected lawmaker Sofian Toubel as head of the party’s central committee.
President Essebsi, 92, called for unity during the inauguration of the party's conference on April 6. He also hinted that he will not be running for the presidential elections in November.
Nidaa party, founded in 2012, has long been witnessing internal conflicts, especially between the President's son and the Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, whose party membership was suspended in September 2018.
Chahed went on to form his own party “Tahya Tounes”, which later became the second political movement in parliament with 44 deputies, following the Islamic Ennahda Movement.
Essebsi, the first democratically elected president of Tunisia, announced during his opening remarks at the Nidaa conference that he was willing to cooperate with Chahed, asking the party to restore his membership.
