Tunisia: President dismisses Prime Minister amid economic and migration crisis

Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed on March 20 Prime Minister Kamel Maddouri less than eight months after his appointment, amid growing economic challenges and a worsening migration crisis.

Saied replaced him by Sara Zaafarani, an engineer and former Minister of Equipment. The presidency announced the dismissal through a brief statement on Facebook, without specifying the reasons behind this change, the third in the position of Prime Minister in Tunisia in less than two years.

Salah Zouari was appointed as the new Minister of Equipment.

Zaafarani’s appointment comes at a time when the country’s economic growth has stagnated at just 1.4% over the past year, and Tunisia is grappling with severe public finance issues. The country faces shortages of essential commodities, such as sugar, rice, and coffee, as the economic situation continues to deteriorate.

Saied, who has been increasingly critical of his government’s performance, pointed out that many ministers have failed to meet expectations. Saied called on Zaafarani to coordinate government efforts and address the challenges facing the nation.

In addition to economic woes, Tunisia is also struggling with a migration crisis, as thousands of sub-Saharan African migrants attempt to reach Europe via Tunisia’s coast. The migrants are facing harsh conditions, with many living in tents in forests after being prevented from embarking on sea journeys. Tensions have escalated between migrants and local residents, while human rights groups accuse the government of fostering racist rhetoric against migrants. Amid this, President Saied has continued to consolidate his power, ruling by decree since 2021, after dissolving the elected parliament and taking control of the judiciary. The opposition has condemned his actions as a coup.