Tunisia’s President Launches New Round of Dismissals

Date: 04 August 2021 - 22:30

News ID: ۹۳۰۳۱

TUNISIA (Dispatches) - President Kais Saied fired Tunisia’s ambassador to the United States and the governor of a key province, the latest dismissals since he provoked a political crisis last month when he assumed all executive power.
In a series of shock moves on July 25, Saied fired the prime minister and suspended parliament for 30 days. He also began ruling by decree, went on to dismiss several officials and announced a crackdown against corruption, Al-Jazeera reported.
State media announced the sacking of Ambassador Nejmeddine Lakhal, without citing an explanation for the move. The governor of the Eastern Sfax province was also dismissed.
It came a day after the economy ministry got a new acting minister on Monday, following the dismissal of Ali Kooli, as did the communications technology ministry.
Local polls say there is large support for Saied’s controversial actions, which were denounced as a “coup” by the country’s main political parties – an allegation the president denied.
The North African country has been cementing its democracy since the mass protests that chased out its former strongman ruler in 2011, triggering the so-called Arab Spring uprisings across the region.
Long described as the only success story to emerge from those chaotic times, Tunisia is currently facing growing economic, social and health crises, with citizens seeing their living standards plummeting and the coronavirus pandemic overwhelming its hospitals.
Saied, using an article in the constitution that allows a president to step in under grave circumstances, has said he did so to save the country.