Mohamed Hechmi Hamdi

Mohamed Hechmi Hamdi was born in Sidi Bouzid. He has studied Arabic language and literature at the Tunis University, graduating with a B.A. in 1985. He added a masters programme in Arab literature and history at the University of London, which he completed in 1990. From the same school he obtained his doctorate in the field of contemporary Islamic studies in 1996 from SOAS, University of London.{{Citation |first=Sana |last=Ajmi |title=People's Petition for Freedom, Justice and Development |publisher=tunisia-live.net |date=25 October 2011 |url=http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/10/25/peoples-petition-for-freedom-justice-and-development-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%b6%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b4%d8%b9%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%84%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%84/ |accessdate=25 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029024807/http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/10/25/peoples-petition-for-freedom-justice-and-development-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84/ |archive-date=29 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}

After contributing articles to different newspapers and journals, including the London-based Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat, he founded his own weekly Al-Mustakilla ("The Independent") in 1993, the quarterly magazine "The Diplomat" in 1996, Al Mustakillah satellite TV channel in 1999, and a second TV channel, called "Democracy", in 2005.{{Citation |title=Mais qui est ce Hachemi Hamdi qui suscite tant de polémiques? |newspaper=Leaders |date=25 October 2011 |url=http://www.leaders.com.tn/article/mais-qui-est-ce-hachemi-hamdi-qui-suscite-tant-de-polemiques?id=6759 |accessdate=27 October 2011}}

From the early 1980s until his resignation in 1992, Hechmi Hamdi was a member of the Tunisian Islamist Ennahda Movement.{{Citation |title=Postface to an article by Hechmi Hamdi |journal=Journal of Democracy |year=1996 |url=http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/hamdi.htm |accessdate=27 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026175344/http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/hamdi.htm |archivedate=26 October 2011 }} Later, he was alleged, but denied, to have developed close ties to President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali{{cite news |title=Surprise Tunisian poll success for London-based millionaire |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=25 October 2011 |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j4MIy4frRcXDwE8QzwuDR2rbbm2g?docId=CNG.d2bfb13e2013e477cebefe8ffd8277d7.7b1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026230227/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j4MIy4frRcXDwE8QzwuDR2rbbm2g?docId=CNG.d2bfb13e2013e477cebefe8ffd8277d7.7b1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 October 2011 |accessdate=28 October 2011}} and his party, RCD.{{citation |first=Emily |last=Parker |title=Aridha Chaabia, "Popular Petition," Shocks Tunisian Politics |publisher=Tunisia Live |date=27 October 2011 |url=http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/10/27/aridha-chaabia-popular-petition-shocks-tunisian-politics/ |accessdate=27 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029185836/http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/10/27/aridha-chaabia-popular-petition-shocks-tunisian-politics/ |archive-date=29 October 2011 |url-status=dead }} In March 2011, after the Tunisian revolution, he founded the Popular Petition for Freedom, Justice and Development (Aridha Chaabia), which he promoted from his Al-Mustakilla TV channel{{cite news |title=Surprise Tunisian poll success for London-based millionaire |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=25 October 2011 |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j4MIy4frRcXDwE8QzwuDR2rbbm2g?docId=CNG.d2bfb13e2013e477cebefe8ffd8277d7.7b1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026230227/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j4MIy4frRcXDwE8QzwuDR2rbbm2g?docId=CNG.d2bfb13e2013e477cebefe8ffd8277d7.7b1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 October 2011 |accessdate=26 October 2011}} and announced his candidature for the presidential elections.

On 4 February 2012 Hechmi Hamdi was elected secretary general of the Party of Progressive Conservatives (PPC), which is closely linked to the Popular Petition movement.{{Citation |first=Asma |last=Ghribi |title=Hechmi Hamdi Elected as Head of Party of Progressive Conservatives |work=Tunisia-live.net |date=6 February 2012 |url=http://www.tunisia-live.net/2012/02/06/hechmi-hamdi-elected-as-head-of-party-of-progressive-conservatives/ |accessdate=18 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209035559/http://www.tunisia-live.net/2012/02/06/hechmi-hamdi-elected-as-head-of-party-of-progressive-conservatives/ |archivedate=9 February 2012 }} In May 2013 Hechmi Hamdi relaunched his Aridha movement under the new name of Tayar al-Mahaba, or Current of Love.{{Cite news |url=http://www.gnet.tn/actualites-nationales/tunisie-hechmi-hamdi-annonce-la-creation-du-courant-d-al-mahaba/id-menu-958.html |title=Hechmi Hamdi annonce la création du "courant d'al-Mahaba" |publisher=Gnet |date=22 May 2013}}{{Citation |first=Youssef |last=Cherif |title=Democracy in the Making: Tunisia braces itself for its second free general elections |journal=The Majalla |date=26 February 2014 |url=http://www.majalla.com/eng/2014/02/article55248709 |access-date=2 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006073519/http://www.majalla.com/eng/2014/02/article55248709 |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=dead }}

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Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of London

Category:Tunisian writers

Category:Tunisian politicians

Category:21st-century Tunisian businesspeople

Category:People from Sidi Bouzid

Category:Ennahda politicians

Category:Alumni of SOAS University of London

Category:Tunis University alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Candidates for President of Tunisia

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