First Independent Mena Newspaper
A Tunisian court has decided to dissolve the League for the Protection of the Revolution (LPR) ahead of the upcoming elections. The group is considered as a vigilante group that has associated itself with violence. The decision is welcomed by the opposition and the powerful workers union UGTT. Its headquarters and 20 branches across the […]
When Mehdi Jomaa assumed the role of Tunisia’s interim Prime Minister in late January, he did not know how disastrous the true economic condition of his country was. He admitted it roughly a month later during a televised interview by saying that the hole in the budget deficit was about 4 billion dinars (2.5 billion […]
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s decision to run for a fourth term was not received well by the opposition who argue that his ailing health condition and 15-year rule are reasons enough for him to step down. 76-year-old Bouteflika suffered a mini-stroke last year after which he has made rare public appearances. Some opposition leaders declare […]
Mehdi Jomaa, Tunisia’s officially designated new prime minister, announced his failure in forming a new cabinet meant to steer the country to fresh polls. This took place in a press conference that was held shortly after the deadline to submit his line-up to President Moncef Marzouki and on the day of a vote set to […]
A major topic of debate earlier this month, article 6, has once again resurfaced in Tunisia National Constituent Assembly. The article, which addresses the role of religion in Tunisia, is prone to be changed by the Islamist party Ennahda. 120 members of parliament have already signed a petition in favor of an amendment weeks after […]
After meeting a number of ministers and representatives of UNICA, Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh announced during a press conference earlier in January that all new taxes and fees imposed on vehicles by the 2014 budget would be suspended until further notice. Prime Minister added that the government opted for suspending of several fees on […]
Tunisian authorities are under pressure to reduce the hardship on the population as public protests continue to increase. The government said it is trying to convince the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for half a billion dollar loan in order to take the necessary actions. The looming elections could slow IMF’s decision. Finance Minister Ilyas Fakhfakh […]
Tunisia’s constitutional assembly voted earlier this week to enshrine gender equality in its draft constitution, upholding the country’s status as having one of the Arab world’s most progressive laws on women’s right. The text enshrining the equality between men and women was approved by a large majority of 159 lawmakers out of the 169 who […]
The ongoing voting of the constitutional articles is surrounded with great enthusiasm and debates. The different political parties are blaming each other for the approval or rejection of certain articles. Voting began at the end of last week. Death threats have already been sent to a couple of members in parliament thereby delaying the voting […]
The spokesman of the 21 political parties engaged in talks, Mohamed Mahfoudh, has announced that the 14th of January 2014 will be the deadline for the adoption of a new constitution. Tunisia has been meddled in political crisis since the departure of Ben Ali. Elections returned the country to relative calm but tensions reached new […]