Tunisia: Parliament decides on Hichem Mechichi government

Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi (left) presents his government's list to President Kaïs Saïd, August 24, 2020. Tunisian Presidency / AFP

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It is a vote of confidence which takes place this Tuesday, September 1 in Tunisia.

The government of Prime Minister-designate Hichem Mechichi is due to collect 109 of the 217 votes of the Assembly of People's Representatives to replace the outgoing Elyes Fakhfakh team.

In case of refusal of this confidence by the deputies, the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saied, could call early legislative elections.

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With our correspondent in Tunis,

The political parties have indeed been consulted by Hichem Mechichi but they will only have a say in accepting or refusing an apolitical government list of 28 people, chosen for their skills.

The President of the Republic, without a party, supervised the maneuver, even placing a relative in the Ministry of the Interior.

Moreover, Kaïs Saied takes back control in the political arena.

If in Tunisia, in fact, the prerogatives of the Head of State are limited, he still has the power to dissolve the Assembly if the deputies do not trust the new government.

A refusal by the hemicycle would therefore risk, in the event of early legislative elections, causing many deputies to lose their seats, a threat that may be sufficient to vote for confidence.

Until then, maker of kings and ministers, the Islamist-inspired party, Ennahdha, the first parliamentary force, is no longer in control. If confidence is voted, it could however, in the event of major disagreement, bring down the government whose parliamentary base promises to be fragile.

If he passes this stage with his government of technocrats, Hichem Mechichi will have the difficult task of giving hope to a population hit by unemployment at 18%, in an economy at half mast where the tourist engine is at a standstill.

► See also: Tunisia: a new government with a technocratic profile

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• Tunisia

• Kaïs Saïed