TUNIS — The reasonable Islamist Ennahda occasion, Tunisia’s largest occasion in parliament, issued a statement Oct. 14 rejecting the brand new authorities headed by Najla Bouden. “It’s a de facto authorities of the unconstitutional Decree 117,” in reference to the order issued by President Kais Saied on Sept. 22, which put the chief and legislative powers in his palms.
Twenty-four members of the new government, which incorporates 10 girls and is headed by a female prime minister for the primary time within the historical past of Tunisia, took the constitutional oath earlier than President Saied on Oct. 11 on the Carthage Palace.
Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki mentioned in a Fb publish on Oct. 14 that the brand new authorities was illegitimate as a result of it didn’t achieve the vote of confidence in parliament because it was suspended by Saied on July 25, in an express violation of the structure.
Political activist Jaouhar Ben M’barek mentioned on Fb on Oct. 11 that Bouden’s authorities is an unlawful “coup physique,” including, “We’ll confront it the identical means we might a coup, and it’ll face the identical destiny.”
Issam Chebbi, the secretary-general of the Republican Social gathering, advised Al-Monitor that the brand new Tunisian authorities is a transparent coup in opposition to the structure, contemplating Decree 117 to be lacking legitimacy as a result of it places all powers within the palms of the president.
Chebbi, whereas praising the appointment of a lady to steer the federal government, mentioned Saied selected its members and might dismiss whoever he desires. He added that the brand new authorities is simply tasked with implementing the president’s policies, which can set again Tunisia many years.
On Oct. 11, the Workers’ Party mentioned in an announcement that the brand new authorities is a “authorities of coup” and that what Bouden mentioned throughout her oath have been empty guarantees that Tunisians have repeatedly heard from earlier governments and from Saied himself.
Nevertheless, Hafez al-Sawari, a member of the Individuals’s Motion politburo, advised Al-Monitor that the brand new authorities displays the need of the individuals who revolted on July 25 and demanded the overthrow of the present political system, which has been managed by Ennahda and its allies because the fall of the Zine El Abidine Ben Ali regime in 2011.
Sawari mentioned Saied is constructing a brand new system, and that the brand new authorities will derive its legitimacy from its skill to resolve excellent points, reply to the calls for of the Tunisians, and provides the nation again to its folks.
Saied issued distinctive measures on Sept. 22 by presidential decree, in response to which the federal government would reply to him, whereas he would problem laws by decree as an alternative of parliament. He additionally determined to raise the immunity of parliament members and droop their salaries.
On Sept. 29, Saied appointed Bouden to kind the federal government, a transfer welcomed by girls’s rights activists in Tunisia. The top of the Nationwide Union of Tunisian Ladies, Radhia Jerbi, advised radio Mosaique on Sept. 29 that Tunisian girls deserve the place of prime minister. Jerbi added that Bouden’s appointment is the end result of Tunisian girls’s struggles over many years for full citizenship and equality.
In a Sept. 29 Fb publish, Frawes Yosra, the top of the Tunisian Affiliation of the Democratic Ladies, expressed her happiness on the appointment, though she wished it had occurred beneath totally different circumstances.
Lamia al-Majri, a member of the Affiliation of Tunisian Judges, advised the state-run Assabah News web site on Sept. 29, “As a nationwide human rights affiliation throughout the progressive human rights material of the nationwide forces in Tunisia, we imagine having a lady head the federal government is a constructive factor.”
Saied’s latest strikes have obtained the backing of the Individuals’s Motion, the Tunisia Ahead motion and the Tunisian Widespread Present, along with the Alliance for Tunisia, the Tunisian Ba’ath Motion, and the Socialist Social gathering, all of that are leftist events.
Zuhair Hamdi, the top of the Tunisian Widespread Present, advised Al-Monitor that Saied has responded to the calls for of the individuals who have been bored with Ennahda’s insurance policies over the previous 10 years. “This allowed [Saied] to achieve essential fashionable legitimacy,” Hamdi mentioned, stressing the necessity to maintain early elections and transfer ahead from there.
Earlier than Saied’s latest strikes, all governments needed to achieve parliament’s vote of confidence earlier than taking the constitutional oath. Dismissing heads of presidency additionally needed to be accepted by parliament, however Saied unilaterally dismissed Prime Minister Hisham al-Meshishi on July 25.
Bouden’s authorities is the thirteenth because the Jasmine Revolution that culminated on Jan. 14, 2011.
