Tunisia: Old Regime Party Dissolved, Other 10 Parties Authorized

Tunisia’s Court of First Instance dissolved the Rally for Constitutional Democracy (RCD), the former ruling party of the country’s deposed leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, reports MISNA.

Ben Ali was forced to flee last January in a popular uprising.

MISNA cites media sources that describe the courtroom Wednesday filled with youth wrapped in flags, who burst into applause after the ruling, singing the national anthem.

According to MISNA, TAP reports that the Interior ministry authorised the formation of another 10 parties: the ‘al-Watan’ party, ‘Ecchab’ movement, the Tunisian Liberal party, the ‘al-Wifak’ party, the Freedom and development party, the Freedom for justice and development party, the Progressivist unionist movement, the Free Youth movement of Tunisia, the People’s unity movement and the Congress for the Republic.

These new formations bring the number of officially authorised parties to 31 in Tunisia,according to MISNA.