Tunisian Workers' Communist Party
Encyclopedia
The Tunisian Workers' Communist Party , also known by its French acronym PCOT, is a Marxist-Leninist political party
in Tunisia
. Its general secretary is Hamma Hammami
. It was outlawed until the Tunisian Revolution
, when in a failed attempt to shore up the state framework it and another banned party were invited to participate in a National Unity
government. Subsequently the party and other opposition elements refused this attempt to co-opt the ongoing revolution by installing a government composed at its senior levels by associates of the former regime.
It was founded on January 3, 1986 and has a youth wing the Union of Communist Youth of Tunisia (UJCT).
Amnesty International
reports that in 1998 five students were charged with belonging to PCOT and given 4 year prison sentences after student demonstrations.
After their involvement in the uprising against Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, PCOT held their first conference as a legal party on July 22-24, with up to 2000 attending. Removing the word "communist" from the party's name was among the topics debated. In the end, party spokesperson Abed Jabbar Bdouri stated the party decided “not to make any changes since we’re currently too busy with the electoral campaign”.
In the 2011 Constituent Assembly election, the candidates of PCOT's electoral formation ran by the name "Revolutionary Alternative" ( ) and won 3 of the 217 seats, in Sfax
, Kairouan
and Siliana
. Member Chrif Khraief has stated the party was dissatisfied with the result, as "3 seats in the CA doesn’t reflect at all the real weight of the party on the streets"; PCOT issued a statement condemning the use of political donations and electoral violations during the campaign.
PCOT is a part of the International Conference of Marxist–Leninist Parties and Organizations (Unity & Struggle).
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. Its general secretary is Hamma Hammami
Hamma Hammami
Hamma Hammami is a Tunisian communist, spokesman of the Tunisian Workers' Communist Party, and former editor of the party news organ El-Badil...
. It was outlawed until the Tunisian Revolution
Tunisian revolution
The Tunisian Revolution is an intensive campaign of civil resistance, including a series of street demonstrations taking place in Tunisia. The events began in December 2010 and led to the ousting of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011...
, when in a failed attempt to shore up the state framework it and another banned party were invited to participate in a National Unity
National Unity
National Unity Governments are coalition governments made up of all or most parties in a parliament. They are usually formed in times of war or severe political crisis.National Unity is the name of political parties in various countries -...
government. Subsequently the party and other opposition elements refused this attempt to co-opt the ongoing revolution by installing a government composed at its senior levels by associates of the former regime.
It was founded on January 3, 1986 and has a youth wing the Union of Communist Youth of Tunisia (UJCT).
Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
reports that in 1998 five students were charged with belonging to PCOT and given 4 year prison sentences after student demonstrations.
After their involvement in the uprising against Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, PCOT held their first conference as a legal party on July 22-24, with up to 2000 attending. Removing the word "communist" from the party's name was among the topics debated. In the end, party spokesperson Abed Jabbar Bdouri stated the party decided “not to make any changes since we’re currently too busy with the electoral campaign”.
In the 2011 Constituent Assembly election, the candidates of PCOT's electoral formation ran by the name "Revolutionary Alternative" ( ) and won 3 of the 217 seats, in Sfax
Sfax Governorate
The Sfax Governorate is one of the governorates of Tunisia. The governorate has a population of 860,000 and an area of 7,545 km². Its capital is Sfax.The following cities and towns are located in the Sfax Governorate:* Agareb...
, Kairouan
Kairouan Governorate
Kairouan Governorate is one of the twenty-four governorates of Tunisia. It is an inland province, situated in the centre of the country. It covers an area of 6,712 km² and has a population of 546,209...
and Siliana
Siliana Governorate
Siliana Governorate is one of the twenty-four governorates of Tunisia. It is situated in northern Tunisia. It covers an area of 4,631 km² and has a population of 234,000...
. Member Chrif Khraief has stated the party was dissatisfied with the result, as "3 seats in the CA doesn’t reflect at all the real weight of the party on the streets"; PCOT issued a statement condemning the use of political donations and electoral violations during the campaign.
PCOT is a part of the International Conference of Marxist–Leninist Parties and Organizations (Unity & Struggle).
External links
- Official PCOT site
- "Let Us Make the Awakening of the Movement our Central Task," La Forge: Organ of the Communist Party of the Workers of France (April, 1997) (Document released on PCOT's 11th anniversary).
- "Interview with Hamma Hammani on the situation in Tunisia," La Forge: Organ of the Communist Party of the Workers of France (September 1997).
- Hamma Hammami, Tunisian Communist Workers Party, "Tunisia: For a Constitutional Assembly to Lay the Foundations of a Democratic Republic," (Tunisia, 15 January 2011). [Retrieved from MRZine 28-01-2011].