Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties

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Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties
التكتل الديمقراطي من أجل العمل والحريات
French name Ettakatol – Forum démocratique pour le travail et les libertés
Secretary-General Mustapha Ben Jafar
Founded 9 April 1994
Recognised 2002
Newspaper Mouatinoun
Ideology Social democracy,[1][2][3]
Secularism[4]
Political position Centre-left[1][5][6]
International affiliation Socialist International (observer)
European affiliation Party of European Socialists (observer)
Colors Red and Green
Constituent Assembly
11 / 217
Website
www.ettakatol.org

Politics of Tunisia
Political parties
Elections

The Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties (Arabic: التكتل الديمقراطي من أجل العمل والحريات‎, at-Takattul ad-Dīmuqrāṭī min ajl il-‘Amal wal-Ḥurriyyāt ; French: Ettakatol – Forum démocratique pour le travail et les libertés), also referred to as Ettakatol or by its French acronym FDTL, is a social democratic political party in Tunisia. It was founded on 9 April 1994 and officially recognized on 25 October 2002. Its founder and Secretary-General is the radiologist Mustapha Ben Jafar.[7]

During the rule of Ben Ali, the FDTL played only a secondary role. It was a member of the oppositional 18 October Coalition for Rights and Freedoms alongside the Progressive Democratic Party, the Communist Party of Tunisian Workers and some Islamists. Although participating in legislative elections, it could not win any seats in the Tunisian parliament. Ettakatol's secretary-general Ben Jafar attempted to run for the 2009 presidential election, but was barred from the race.[1]

After the Tunisian revolution of 2011 and ahead of the Constituent Assembly election, Ettakatol developed into a main representative of the centre-left secular camp.[3][6] On 17 January 2011, party leader Ben Jafar was named Health Minister in the interim government,[8] but stepped back only days later in protest against the unchanged prevalence of the old dominant RCD party.[1] The Forum relies mainly on the voluntary commitment of its grassroot members and its activities in social media.[5]

In the election of the Constituent Assembly of Tunisia on 23 October 2011, Ettakatol won 20 of the 217 seats making it the fourth force in the convention. Subsequently, the FDTL came to an agreement with the two major parties, the Islamist Ennahda Movement and the secular Congress for the Republic (CPR), to share the three highest positions in state.[9] Accordingly, FDTL-leader Ben Jafar was voted Speaker of the Assembly on 22 November.[10] In exchange, the Forum supported the election of CPR-leader Moncef Marzouki as interim President of the Republic, and the appointment of Ennahda's secretary-general Hamadi Jebali as Prime Minister.

The FDTL is an observer member of both the Socialist International[11] and Party of European Socialists.[12] Since 2007 the party has published an Arabic weekly newspaper entitled Mouatinoun (Citizens).

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Chrisafis, Angelique (19 October 2011), "Tunisian elections: the key parties", The Guardian, retrieved 22 October 2011 
  2. ^ Medien, Ahmed (10 October 2011), Ettakatol – Forum Démocratique pour le Travail et les Libertés, tunisia-live.net, retrieved 21 October 2011 
  3. ^ a b Hicks, Celeste (21 October 2011), Tunisia election: Loving and loathing Islamists, BBC News, retrieved 22 October 2011 
  4. ^ Factbox - How Tunisia's election will work, Reuters, 22 October 2011, retrieved 22 October 2011 
  5. ^ a b Bollier, Sam (9 October 2011), Who are Tunisia's political parties?, Al Jazeera English, retrieved 21 October 2011 
  6. ^ a b Shabi, Rachel (21 October 2011), "From Arab Spring to elections: Tunisia steps into a new era", The Independent, retrieved 22 October 2011 
  7. ^ "Getty Images - Photo of Mustapha Ben Jaafar, 22 Jan 2011". Retrieved 28 January 2011. 
  8. ^ Who are Tunisia's main oppposition figures?, Reuters, 17 January 2011, retrieved 22 October 2011 
  9. ^ Tunisia coalition agrees top government posts, BBC News, 21 November 2011, retrieved 23 November 2011 
  10. ^ Ayari, Sadok (22 November 2011), "Mustapha Ben Jaafar Elected President of the Constituent Assembly", Tunisia Live, retrieved 23 November 2011 
  11. ^ http://socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticlePageID=931
  12. ^ http://www.pes.eu/en/about-pes/pes-members/parties

External links [edit]
Constituent
Assembly
Unrepresented
Defunct
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