Tunisian ruling political parties have proposed to President Kais Saied candidates for the premiership, after Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh resigned over a conflict of interest.
The new cabinet lineup will be presented to parliament for voting by next September and will need a majority vote of 109 to pass. In the case it was rejected by parliament, the country will hold early general elections after the president dissolves the legislature.
The new head of government will probably be announced on Saturday, reported the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP).
With 54 parliamentary seats, the Islamist Ennahdha party has proposed the names of Khayam Turki, former Deputy Secretary General of the Democratic Forum for Labor and liberties, and Fadhel Abdelkefi, former Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation, the movement spokesman told TAP on Friday.
These two candidates were also proposed by the Heart of Tunisia party which has 38 seats in parliament.
In a statement on Friday, the party’s leader, Nabil Karoui, assured that the decision was taken after consultation with the parliamentary blocs and an agreement on proposing a non-partisan personality “in order to guarantee the formation of a consensual government.”
Once a new candidate is appointed, he will have 30 days to form a cabinet, which must later win the confidence of the parliament.
MP Walid Jalled from Tahya Tounes party stated to the media on Thursday that his party had proposed the name of Economy and Finance Minister in Mehdi Jomaa’s government Hakim Ben Hammouda, Fadhel Abdelkefi, Khayem Turki, Health Minister Sonia Ben Cheikh in Youssef Chahed’s government, and current President of the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) Wadii Jeri.
The Free Destourian Party (16 seats) and the al-Karama Coalition (19 seats) have not proposed candidates.
