SECTION ONE : GENERAL PRINCIPLES |
Article One - A political party is a political organisation of Tunisian citizens linked in a permanent and non-profit-making way, by principles, opinions and objectives which unite them and in the framework of which they work to :
- Contribute to citizens' training and to the organisation of their participation in the political life of the country within the framework of a political programme ;
- Take part in elections set down in the constitution and the law by putting forward or supporting candidates.
Art. 2 - A political party acts within the framework of the constitution and the law :
a) In its activity, it must particularly respect and defend:
- The Arab-Muslim identity ;
- Human rights as established by the constitution and the international treaties ratified by Tunisia ;
- The established principles of the nation, in particular the republican form of the regime and its foundations, the principle of sovereignty of the people as set out by the constitution and the principles of personal status.
b) It must also :
- Forbid all forms of violence and fanaticism, racism and all other forms of discrimination ;
- Refrain from any activity likely to undermine national security, public order and the rights and liberties of others.
Art. 3 - A political party may not base its principles, activities and programmes on a religion, a language, a race, a sex or a region.
Art. 4 - The following are excluded from membership of a political party :
- active members of the armed forces ;
- magistrates ;
- personnel of the interior security forces defined in article 4 of law n ° 82-70 of 6 August 1982 concerning the general status of the interior security forces ;
- active members of the customs department;
- people under the age of eighteen.
Art. 5 - A political party must be organised on democratic principles. Its statutes must be drawn up accordingly.
Art. 6 - A political party can only be formed when there is something in its principles, options and programmes which distinguishes them from the principles, options and programmes of other legally recognised parties.
Art. 7 - The founders and leaders of a political party must be exclusively people who have had Tunisian nationality for at least ten years.
They must not have been sentenced to more than three months' imprisonment for crimes or offences, nor to a suspended sentence of more than six months unless they have obtained a discharge.
Sentences for non-deliberate offences do not constitute an impediment to becoming a founder or leader of a political party.
Members of a political party must have had Tunisian nationality for at least five years.
