Progressive Democratic Party

Siglas: 
Party now defunct - see Republican Party
  • Name - Original language & name in English: الحزب الديمقراطي التقدمي (Arabic), Parti démocrate progressiste (French), Progressive Democratic Party (English). Note that this party officially no longer exists (see observations)
  • Year founded: 1983, not legalised until 1987
  • Ideology: Left-wing, Secular
  • Current leader & function:  Maya Jribi (general secretary)
  • Number of seats in Constituent Assembly: 16 originally. 
  • Currently in government or in opposition: In opposition
  • Legal status: Legal political party
  • Link to official party website: http://www.pdp.tn - this website is currently dormant due to the party's merger.
  • Observations: One of the few genuine opposition parties legalised under Ben Ali, the PDP had expected to do very well in the 2011 Constituent Assembly elections. Its failure to do so shocked the party leadership and forced it to consider mergers with other parties. In April 2012 the party formally ceased to exist when it entered a merger with Afek Tounes & the Tunisian Republican Party. This new party took the name Republican Party and originally had at least 20 seats in the Assembly before a wave of defections began.