Tunisia: Tunisian political party loses 9 seats in constituent assembly following defections

TUNIS, (Xinhua): Two days after an administrative court ruled in favor of the Aridha Chaabia (Popular Petition party) attributing it seven seats which were initially cancelled by the country's independent electoral commission, its nine members decided to leave the party to set up independent lists, Radio Express FM reported on Friday.

In a statement released on Friday, the dissenting members said that the party's chairman, London-based millionaire Hechmy Hamdi no longer represented them, Radio Express FM reported.

As a result of the defection, the party has 16 seats out of the initial 25, relegating it to the fourth place in the constituent assembly's makeup.

Hamdi who was blamed for links with the ousted president, as well as for his populist policies, announced on Wednesday that he would return to Tunisia on Saturday.

The Aridha Chaabia has been excluded from recent talks to form a new government among the country's three leading parties. Ennahdha, Tunisia's main Islamic party that claimed a sweeping win in the polls, has already announced that it would not deal with the Aridha Chabiaa.