Today, Tuesday, the Tunisian parliament will hold a plenary session to vote to give confidence to the government, and while the largest blocs have decided their position by officially going towards its support, behind the scenes - from a surprise meeting that brought together the President of the Republic with some party leaders - his desire to drop it.
Ennahda (45 deputies) decided its position by granting confidence to the government of Hisham al-Mishishi in parliament, and the leader Muhammad al-Qoumani explained to Al-Jazeera Net that the movement’s Shura decision - which was taken by the majority, despite the party’s reservations about the path of forming the government and excluding the parties from it - came in appreciation of the national interest and seeking to expel the country From the caretaker government status.
The leader of Ennahda added that the movement’s decision was also taken in consultation with its allies in Parliament in light of a reading of the balance of power. The government is likely to gain the confidence of the majority of parliamentary blocs.
The Heart of Tunisia party (27 deputies) confirmed in an official statement its intention to give confidence to the Mechanically-appointed government, despite its reservations about what it described as “constitutional breaches” of the President of the Republic, Qais Saeed, in the process of forming the government and excluding parties from it.
Head of the "National Reform" bloc, Hassouna Al-Nassi, said in a media statement that they (16 deputies) would in turn give confidence to the proposed government, and Hatem Al-Meliki, head of the "National Bloc" (11 deputies) announced that they would support the new government.
The Presbyterian government needs 109 votes out of a total of 217 to ensure its passage in Parliament, which is mathematically available in light of the positions announced by party blocs and independents.
A surprise meeting. The surprise
meeting - which Saeed held yesterday evening at the presidential palace with party leaders, including Ennahda - raised more than a question about his motives, and he refused to meet or consult with her weeks ago about the nature of the government.
Saeed - since he assigned the Minister of Interior (Machichi) to form a government of independent competencies that cut with the participation of the parties - has faced widespread criticism from its leaders who saw in the President's disregard for them a deviation from the spirit of the constitution and the existing political system.
Observers believe that the conflict that began to appear between Saeed and Al-Meshishi - due to disagreements about naming some ministers - contributed to pushing the president to change his stance towards the Walkership, and to seek assistance from parties to drop him in Parliament, which was confirmed by leaks of the meeting that he gathered in the palace with the leaders of Ennahda, the Democratic Current and the Movement The people, long live Tunisia.
The constitution gives the president of the republic the right to dissolve parliament and call early legislative elections in the event that the Mechanically-appointed government fails to gain confidence, and he has other options to interpret its chapters.
Saeed's proposal,
and private sources revealed to Al-Jazeera Net about a proposal Saeed made to the parties and pushing them to bring down the Mechanically-appointed government in exchange for guarantees and reassurances that include not dissolving parliament and compensating the current caretaker prime minister, Ilyas Fakhfakh, who is being pursued by charges of corruption and conflict of interests with the current Finance Minister Nizar Yaish, as well as promises to reinstate the Ennahda ministers Who sacked the traps.
In this regard, the leader of the "Long Live Tunisia" party, Mustafa bin Ahmed, spoke to Al-Jazeera Net about a proposal made by Saeed to the parties in the event of failure to grant confidence to the Mechanically-appointed government, which includes a promise not to dissolve parliament and the current caretaker government to continue with changing its head in agreement with the parties.
On the other hand, he pointed out that the president warned against a second proposal, in the event that the government was passed and gained confidence in Parliament, that it would lure it and push for changes in its composition, which is unacceptable to him.
Bin Ahmed said that Saeed's invitation to their party and the rest of the parties to consult, hours before the confidence-granting session, raises more than one question, and he did not rule out differences between Saeed and the prime minister-designate regarding the government composition.
He stressed that his bloc in Parliament (10 seats) would give confidence to the Presidium government in order to prevail in the interest of the country and avoid entering a state of government vacuum, noting that his party "will deal with the possible and not with the best," calling on all parties to shoulder their responsibility before the people.
Whether or not to vote, the
head of "Heart of Tunisia", Nabil Karoui, revealed, in a local media statement, a request made by the President of the Republic for his party and the Ennahda Movement to overthrow the Machichy government, while the caretaker government continues its duties.
In an official statement, the "National Bloc" expressed its surprise at what was attributed to Saeed about his initiative to disrupt the path of forming the government, calling on parties not to vote for it, and asking the President of the Republic to clarify the context of the meeting that he gathered with some parties.
The People's Movement, the Democratic Current, and the Dignity Coalition took, in official statements, their decision not to vote on the Mechanically-appointed government, and their rejection of the process that accompanied the formation of the government and excluding parties from it.