French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will receive on Wednesday Beji Caied Essebsi, the head of Nida Tounes (Tunisia Call), one of the country's main opposition parties, the local news website Tunisie Numerique reported on Tuesday.

Essebsi, who no longer holds any official position, after having served as the country's transitional prime minister from 2011 to 2012, is also expected to meet with French interior minister Manuel Valls.

The leader of Nida Tounes is in France for a visit that runs from November 6 through 9. As soon as it was announced, the visit triggered critical comments from the press both in Tunisia and in France.

Essebsi's party is considered to be the main secular opposition force to Ennahdha, the country's ruling moderate Islamic party.

Last month, one of the party's activists was killed during clashes between pro-Ennahdha supporters and pro-Nida Tounes supporters in the southern town of Tataouine.