More than 100 prominent officials of Tunisia's Ennahda party, including lawmakers and former ministers, resigned on Saturday in protest at the leadership's performance, the biggest blow yet to the party which is facing a severe split.
Ennahda, the biggest party in parliament, was thrown into crisis after President Kais Saied sacked the government and suspended parliament on July 25.
In a statement, 113 senior officials from the party said they had resigned due to wrong choices by Ennahda's leadership, which had led to its isolation and failure to engage in any common front to confront Saied's decisions.
Among the resignations are eight lawmakers and several former ministers, including former Minister of Health Abdellatif Mekki.
On Friday, Tunisia's influential labor union rejected key elements of Saied's seizure of near total power and warned of a threat to democracy.
The Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), which has a million members, warned against consolidating power in the president's hands alone and said his declaration that he will appoint a commission to amend the political system was also a threat.
"The UGTT rejects the president's monopoly on amendments and considers this a danger to democracy," it said.
