Tunisian President Kais Saied rejected on Monday the Ennahda movement’s call to hold political consultations with various national parties and organizations to change current Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh.
Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi’s Ennahda movement, the main partner in the government coalition, announced that it was abandoning the premier and was determined to take political action to introduce government change.
The movement said that it wants “to hold talks to form a strong new government because this government lost credibility after suspicion of conflict of interest involving the prime minister,” Imed Khmiri a senior official in Ennahda told Reuters on Sunday.
Saied met Fakhfakh and head of the Tunisian General Labor Union Noureddine Taboubi on Monday. He said that if the premier were to resign or an accusation were to be directed against him, then the president may call for political consultations.
There can be no exception to these conditions, he stressed.
“I refuse to hold consultations with anyone as long as the situation is legal as it is,” he added.
Fakhfakh has rejected accusations of corruption after an independent member of parliament published documents last month indicating that companies the prime minister owns shares in had won deals worth 44 million dinars ($15 million) from the state.
No other members of the government coalition have joined Ennahda’s call to oust the premier, who was appointed to office in February.
Petition against Ghannouchi
Ennahda’s move against Fakhfakh have been met with a parliamentary petition to withdraw confidence from Speaker Ghannouchi.
Politicians on Sunday said that at least five parties will begin the process of withdrawing confidence from the speaker, who has been accused of partisan interests.
Mohammed Ammar from Attayar party, said that a group of parliamentary blocs agreed to start the process of withdrawing confidence from the speaker, citing numerous violations, poor management and unilateral decisions that serve partisan interests.
These blocs include the Tahya Tounes, Attayar, Chaab and Reform parties, which are in the coalition with Ennahda.
The Free Constitutional party led by Abir Moussi has campaigned to oust Ghannouchi for weeks.
Moussi’s party accused Ghannouchi of serving the Muslim Brotherhood’s agenda and foreign allies, including Turkey and Qatar.
Ghannouchi has rejected these accusations, arguing that Tunisians want a government focused on economic and social policy, not political in-fighting.
Procedures for withdrawing confidence require the signature of 73 members of the house for it to be put to a public vote. To succeed, 109 lawmakers will need to vote for no-confidence.
The five parties have about 90 members.