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THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES
The Chamber of Deputies, the Tunisian parliament
is composed of 189 members elected by direct universal suffrage every five years. Following the legislative elections
of March 1994, Parliament became, for the first time in Tunisia's modern history, a pluralistic institution whose
members include opposition representatives.
After the October 1999 elections, five opposition parties
earned representation in the Chamber of Deputies based on a new electoral reform guaranteeing minority candidates
at least 20% of the seats. After the 2004 elections, 37 opposition candidates won seats in the 189 - members Chamber
of Deputies.
After 2002 constitutional amendments, , the Tunisian parliament will became bi-cameral. A second legislative, the
112 - member Chamber of Advisors, was inaugurated on August 17, 2005.
Women constitute 22,7% of the members of the Chamber
of Deputies and 15% of the members of the Chamber of Advisors
The Chamber Of Advisors
Following the fundamental reform of the Constitution
(May 26, 2002), a second parliamentary chamber, the Chamber of Advisors, was established. This new body held its
first plenary session on August 16, 2005, in its headquarters in Bardo. It is composed of 112 members, one-third
of whom are elected by an electoral college (Deputies and Municipal Councilors), another third elected by socio-professional
organizations, and the remaining third appointed by the President of the Republic.
The institution lays the foundations of the Republic
of Tomorrow. It in fact, reflects President Ben Ali's to commitment to enlarge political participation professional
organizations, local elites and national figures, to further enrich Tunisian political life, and to consolidate
pluralism.
The State Council
Composed of two bodies, the Administrative Court (whose task is to settle disputes involving the Civil Service)
and the Audit Court (which oversees public funds management).
The Constitutional Council
The Council was created by Presidential executive order in December 1987. The main task of the Council is to ascertain
the compatibility of enacted legislations with the Constitution. Its rulings have been made binding by virtue of
an amendment introduced in 1999.
The Economic and Social Council
A consultative constitutional body whose main role is to maintain dialogue on the social and economic policies
of the government between the different social and professional bodies.
POLITICAL PARTIES
(*)
There are nine political parties in Tunisia:
- "Rassemblement
Constitutionnel Démocratique" (Democratic
Constitutional Rally - RCD). Governing party. (Newspapers: Al Horrya,in Arabic, and Le Renouveau, in French).
Created in 1920 under the name of "Parti Libéral
Constitutionnaliste Tunisien" or "Destour". As a result of a split which occurred in 1934, it took
the name of "Neo-Destour". After independence, it took the name of "Parti Socialiste Destourien"
(PSD). On February 27, 1988, The PSD decided to change its name to "Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique"
(RCD).
- "Mouvement
des Démocrates Socialistes" (Movement
of Socialist Democrats - MDS). Newspapers: "Al-Mostaqbal" and "L'Avenir". Legally recognized
on November 19, 1983.
- "Parti
de l'Unite Populaire" (Popular Unity Party
- PUP). Legally recognized on November 19, 1983. Newspaper : Al Wihda .
- "Parti Démocratique Progressiste"
(Progressive Democratic Party - PDP). Legally
recognized on September 12, 1988. Newspaper: Al-Mawqif.
- "Parti
Social Démocratique Liberal" (Liberal
Democratic Social Party - PSDL). Legally recognized on September 19, 1988. Newspaper : Al-Ofoq.
- "Union
Democratique Unioniste" (Unionist Democratic
Union - UDU). Legally recognized on November 30, 1988. Newspaper: Al Watan.
- "Mouvement At-Tajdid" (At-Tajdid Movement).
Created on April 23, 1993. Newspaper: At-Tariq Al-Jadid .
- "The Democratic Forum for Labor
and Liberties" Legally recognized on October 25, 2002
- "The Green Party for Progress" Legally recognized on March 03, 2006.
THE NATIONAL PACT (**)
On November 7, 1988, President Ben Ali invited Tunisia's
political parties to join with representatives of the business community, the trade unions, the human rights community,
the farmers' association, the national women's organization and the lawyers' guild in co-writing the National Pact,
a major consensus-based document establishing the rules of political engagement in a republican democracy, as well
as the basic economic and foreign policy orientations of the country.
(**) See text of the National Pact
(in French)
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