Tunisia: New Cabinet Team Unveiled; Early Elections Avoided

Tunisia’s Prime Minister designate Elyes Fakhfakh on Wednesday unveiled his new coalition government after reaching an agreement with Ennahda moderate Islamist Party.

Fakhfakh said the new cabinet team, composed of 30 ministers and 2 secretaries of state, is the result of consensus between parties and parliamentary blocs involved in the consultations.

The new cabinet represents a broad political spectrum and is based on a contract document that aims to ensure the country’s stability and restore confidence and hope to citizens, he was quoted by TAP as saying.

 

The cabinet was un veiled few days after Tunisian President Kais Saied said he would dissolve parliament and call for an early election if the new government fails to win a parliamentary confidence vote.

 

The cabinet nominees include Nizar Yaich as finance minister, Nourredine Erray as foreign minister and Imed Hazgui as defense minister.

Among the other proposed ministers are Mongi Marzouk as energy minister, Mohamed Ali Toumi as tourism minister and Thouraya Jribi as Justice minister.

 

The proposed government must be approved in the coming days by the deeply fragmented parliament that had rejected on January 10 the government of Habib Jemli who was picked by the Ennahdha party.

Once endorsed by the Parliament, Elyes Fakhfakh will take over from Youssef Chahed who was appointed in August 2016.

The economy of the North African nation has languished since the 2011 revolution, with low growth, high state deficits and debt, mounting unemployment and declining public services that have caused many Tunisians to lose faith in politics.

Tunisia needs to borrow about $3 billion internationally in 2020 to meet spending commitments, at a time it faces strong pressure from international lenders to cut spending.

Fakhfakh previously said he wants a government based on the values of the 2011 revolution that would address unemployment and improve public services.