Tunisian President Qais Said announced his rejection of any political consultations to change the government, and considered that this step is not compatible with any of the provisions of the constitution. On the other hand, the National Anti-Corruption Commission announced that Prime Minister Elias Al-Fakhfakh was referred to the judiciary on suspicion of conflict of interest.
Said, upon receiving the Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the Labor Union, Noureddine Taboubi, said that "consultations can only take place if Elias Al-Fakhfakh resigns or an indictment is brought against him."
The president added that the political system is regulated by the constitution, and there is no way under any circumstances for him to overrun or the emergence of a parallel political system.
Saeed's speech came in response to the decision of the Ennahda Movement to authorize its President Rashid Ghannouchi to start consultations with the President of the Republic and political parties to change the government makeup.
Abdel Karim Al Harouni, head of the Renaissance Shura Council, said that the council recognized that it is not possible to continue with a government chasing its president on suspicion of a conflict of interest.
Referral to the judiciary
In turn, the National Anti-Corruption Commission announced on Monday the referral of documents related to declaring the gains and suspicions of conflicts of interest related to the Prime Minister of the Judiciary and Parliament Speaker Rashid Ghannouchi.
The authority said in an official statement that it referred the documents related to declaring interests and benefits for the traps to the representative of the republic at the economic and financial judicial pole, which is a judicial body specialized in combating financial and economic corruption.
She added that she also referred documents and data related to suspicions of conflicts of interest in a public deal, one of which is a company owned by the traps, to Ghannouchi, at his request in his capacity as Speaker of Parliament.
Since February 27, the traps have been chaired by a government coalition that includes four main parties and a parliamentary bloc, the "Renaissance" (Islamist, 54 deputies from 217), the Democratic Movement (Social Democrat, 22), the People's Movement (Nasseri, 14), the Movement Long live Tunisia (liberal, 14), National Reform Bloc (independents and liberal parties, 16).
On June 30, the Anti-Corruption Commission (an independent constitutional) said that there was a "suspicion of conflict of interests for traps" regarding its ownership of shares in companies that deal with the state commercially, and concluded deals with it, which is prohibited by law ", but the Prime Minister denied in a session in Parliament The validity of these suspicions.
And on Tuesday, the Speaker of Parliament (Ghannouchi) announced the creation of a parliamentary commission of inquiry to look into the suspicion of conflict of interests related to the traps.
Mohamed Abbou, Minister of State to the Prime Minister, who is charged with public office, governance and anti-corruption, said that the results of the investigation will be issued within three weeks.
Withdrawing confidence from Ghannouchi
In a related context, five parties said that they will begin today, Monday, the measures to withdraw confidence from the Speaker of Parliament and the leader of the Islamic Renaissance Movement (Ghannouchi) in a move that would represent a severe embarrassment for the party and could lead to a severe political crisis in the country.
These parties' efforts to withdraw confidence from Ghannouchi because of what they described as poor management of the parliament, violations and abuse of powers, came amid differences between most elements of the fragile ruling coalition, and demands for the resignation of the prime minister.
These blocs represent the parties (Long live Tunisia, the Democratic Current, the People's Movement) participating in the ruling coalition, in addition to the National Reform Blocs.
The Free Constitutional Party and its leader Abeer Musa, a supporter of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, have for weeks been leading efforts to withdraw confidence from Ghannouchi, accusing him of serving the agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood and allies abroad, including Turkey and Qatar.
Ghannouchi has repeatedly rejected the accusations, and says it is more appropriate to address the poor socio-economic conditions of Tunisians than these conflicts.
The no-confidence measures require the signature of at least 73 deputies, which is the number with which these parties have more than, and the signing of 73 deputies will allow the voting pass in a plenary session. The internal system of Parliament provides for an absolute majority of 109 representatives to withdraw confidence.
These parties, which have more than ninety deputies, will seek to pool their efforts to reach the quorum.