Al-Watan Party (Tunisia) way for younger politicians. Al-Watan Party (Tunisia) The Homeland Party (, "Ḥizb el-Waṭan"; ) or El-Watan Party is a centrist party in Tunisia, that was launched on 19 February 2011 and officially licensed on 9 March 2011. It was founded by Mohamed Jegham, former minister of trade and tourism, Ahmed Friaa, former minister of the interior in the Government of Mohamed Ghannouchi, and ten other leaders. Both Jegham and Friaa come from the ranks of the old dominant party Constitutional Democratic Rally, sustaining the Zine El Abidine Ben Ali regime. On 13 June 2011, Friaa announced his resignation from the
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali the Presidential Palace in Tunis, Ben Ali and close members of his family hastily left and headed to Laouina airport (annexed to the civil airport of Tunis Carthage). The military allowed Ben Ali's plane to take off, immediately after which the Tunisian airspace was closed. The presidential plane headed first to France. But after the plane was denied landing rights on French territory, it directly flew to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Ben Ali and his family were accepted by King Abdullah to live there under the condition that he should keep out of politics. Ben Ali and his family are currently