At an accelerated and intense pace, Tunisia is witnessing a wave of dismissals of officials in government institutions and judicial positions, which ended the duties of 30 officials until Tuesday evening.
After an emergency meeting with military and security leaders, President Qais Saied announced the dismissal of Prime Minister Hisham Al-Mashishi, provided that he himself would assume the executive authority with the help of a government whose prime minister would be appointed, freezing the powers of Parliament for a period of 30 days, lifting the immunity of MPs, and headed by the Public Prosecution.
The series of dismissals initiated by the presidency was not accompanied by details about their causes, and observers expect that the coming days will continue to include local structures, such as the dismissal of provincial governors (conservatives) and the freezing of municipal (local) councils.
Al-Mashishi and 4 ministers
On July 26, Saied issued a presidential order dismissing the acting prime minister in charge of managing the affairs of the Ministry of Interior, Ibrahim El-Bertaji, the defense minister, and Hasna Ben Slimane, the minister to the prime minister in charge of public service and the acting minister of justice.
To fill the government vacuum, the Presidency decided that the secretaries-general or those charged with administrative and financial affairs in the Presidency of the Government and the aforementioned ministries would handle their administrative and financial affairs until a prime minister and new members were named.
On Monday, August 2, presidential orders dismissed the Minister of Economy and Investment Support Ali Al-Kaali from his duties, and appointed Siham Al-Boughdiri as his successor.
Mohamed El-Fadil Karim, Minister of Communication Technologies, Acting Minister of Agriculture, Fishing and Water Resources, was relieved of his duties, and Nizar Bennaji was assigned to run the Ministry of Communication Technologies.
The presidency said that these exemptions have been in effect since July 25, and to date the presidency has not appointed ministers for these ministries nor a prime minister.
senior positions
On the evening of July 27, the presidency announced a series of new dismissals targeting officials in high state positions, according to the official Al-Raed magazine.
The dismissal of Brigadier-General, Judge Tawfiq Al-Ayouni, in charge of the duties of the State Attorney General, Director of Military Judiciary, and Head of the General Authority for Martyrs and Wounded People of the Revolution and Terrorist Operations, Abdul Razzaq Al-Kilani.
The dismissal of Al-Muizz Li Din Allah Al-Muqaddam, Director of the Office of the dismissed Prime Minister, and the government's clerk Walid Al-Dhahabi.
The dismissal of all the eight advisers to the Prime Minister: Rashad bin Ramadan, Lahcen bin Omar, Elias Al-Ghariani, Osama Al-Khuraiji, Abdel Salam Al-Abbasi, Salim Al-Tisawi, Zakaria Belkhoja, Mofdi Mesdi.
The dismissals also included 9 other people entrusted with tasks in the government office, they are: Fathi Biar, Muhammad Ali Al-Aroui, Hossam Al-Din bin Mahmoud, Basma Al-Daoudi, Ibtihal Al-Attawi, Monji Al-Khadrawein, Nabil bin Hadid, Bassam Al-Kasho and Rawda bin Saleh.
On July 29 - according to local media - it was decided to relieve Al-Azhar Longo, the director general of the relevant departments (the director of intelligence) at the Ministry of the Interior, from his duties. to the relevant departments of the Ministry of the Interior.
Saeed issued an order on the evening of July 28, relieving the General Director of the official TV, Mohamed Lasd Al-Dahesh, from his position, and assigning Awatef Al-Dali to run the television establishment temporarily.
Ambassador and Wali
Saeed also issued a presidential order to end the assignment of Najm al-Din al-Akhal to the duties of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic in Washington.
And he issued a presidential order to end the assignment of Anis Oueslati to the tasks of the governor (governorate) in the state of Sfax, according to a second statement by the presidency.
Saeed is expected to announce a new prime minister, assigning a government under his direct supervision to be accountable to him.
Tunisian organizations are pressing for a speedy presentation of a road map that includes clear plans to save the country, while ensuring respect for the constitution and human rights.
Said denies accusations of carrying out a coup, and says that he took these measures based on Article 80 of the constitution, with the aim of saving the Tunisian state.