Tunisian President Kais Saied has held a series of consultations with parliamentary blocs to form a new government, which will most likely bring together the country’s different factions.
The national unity cabinet will include Ennahda Movement which several parties had sought to marginalize by rejecting to give their vote of confidence to a government led by its candidate for the premiership, Habib Jamali.
Jamali formed a government of independent figures with no links to the political parties that had won the parliamentary elections. But his line-up did not receive the support of a number of political parties.
Speaker Rachid Ghannouchi called on Ennahda to adopt dialogue with different factions to overcome historic differences that do not serve any political party.
Ghannouchi was speaking during the inauguration of Ennahda’s fourth youth conference.
Saied is expected to decide on the new Prime Minister-designate after meetings that included Hakim Ben Hammouda and Fadhel Abdelkef, both of whom are supported and nominated by a number of parliamentary blocs.
Observers believe the ongoing meetings indicate that the competition for the premiership has been limited to Ben Hammouda and Abdelkefi, two experts on the economy, which will be the next government’s top priority.
They assert the President may back Ben Hammouda to form the cabinet, while keeping all other options open.
Ben Hammouda revealed he presented his vision for the government program, pointing out that the main challenge in Tunisia is to rebuild the social contract.
He reviewed six major transformations through which the social contract can be reconstructed, stressing the importance of setting active policies to limit marginalization and poverty, and restore hope for Tunisians.
Abdelkefi was named by Jamali to assume the Ministry of Development, Investment and International Cooperation (MDICI) in the government that failed to win the parliamentary vote of confidence. He also assumed the same post in the government of former Prime Minister Youssef Chahed
The President also met with Elyes Fakhfakh, candidate of the Democratic Current, led by Mohamed Abbou, and Tahya Tounes, led by Chahed.
