Nidaa Tunis’ power struggle gets new twist
The resignation of eight Nidaa Tunis parliament members fans the flames of the escalating row between the son of President Beji Caid Essebsi, Hafedh Caid Essebsi, who is also Nidaa Tunis’ executive director, and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed after Essebsi suspended the latter’s membership in the party.
TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia’s ruling party, Nidaa Tunis, froze the membership of Prime Minister Youssef Chahed on Sept. 14. The decision came after Chahed refused to answer a questionnaire by Nidaa Tunis clarifying the nature of his relationship with the party.
A week earlier, on Sept. 8, eight parliamentarians from Nidaa Tunis' bloc of 56 parliament members submitted their resignations from the bloc. Parliament member Mohammed al-Rashdi, one of the eight, told the Tunis-Afrique Presse news agency that they will join the National Coalition, a new bloc initially composed of 33 parliament members supporting the government of Youssef Chahed.
