According to CCTV News, on September 29, local time, Tunisian President Said appointed Najra Buden Rumzan as the new prime minister, and Rumzan became the first female prime minister in Tunisian history. Her appointment ended with the vacancy of the Prime Minister’s position in the past two months.
Image Source: Social Account of the Presidential Palace of Tunisia
According to Xinhua News Agency, Rumzan is 63 years old and has studied in France. He has a doctorate in geological engineering. He previously taught in a university in Tunisia. At the same time, he was in charge of the university reform project funded by the World Bank in the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Technology in Tunisia. He has less political experience and is not well-known in the political arena.
Said said that this appointment has “historical” significance and is “an honour of Tunisia and a tribute to Tunisian women.”
Said asked Rumzan to draw up a list of new cabinet members “in a few hours or days”, “because we have lost a lot of time.”
He said that the main mission of the new government is to “end the corruption and chaos that exist in multiple government agencies.” The new government should respond to calls from the domestic medical, transportation, and education fields, and try to meet the needs.
Large-scale demonstrations took place in the main cities of Tunisia in late July to protest the government’s inability to fight the new crown epidemic and lack of effective measures to boost the economy and solve the unemployment problem. The demonstrators demanded the dissolution of the government and parliament, and clashed with the police in some areas.
Said announced on July 25 that in response to the country’s current severe situation, he had taken a number of emergency measures in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution, including the removal of the then Prime Minister Hisham Mehihi from the post and the temporary leadership of the government by the president until the appointment of a new one. The Prime Minister also suspends parliamentary activities for one month and cancels the immunity of all parliamentarians. Said announced in August an extension of the country’s emergency measures.
Large-scale protests and demonstrations broke out in Tunisia at the end of 2010, and the situation was turbulent. President Ben Ali stepped down in January the following year. Over the past 10 years, Tunisia’s prime minister has changed frequently. According to the decree issued by Said last week, the government will be accountable to the president. The president has the power to appoint or dismiss cabinet ministers. The authority of the prime minister has been weakened compared with previous governments.
Tunisia has already faced years of stagnant economic growth, and factors such as the new crown epidemic and political instability have exacerbated the country’s financial difficulties. Tunisia originally hoped to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund to alleviate public expenditure and debt problems, but the changes in the situation in July led to the suspension of talks between the two sides.
Source: Daily Economic News, CCTV News, Xinhua News Agency
Cover image source: Tunisian Presidential Palace Social Account
Copyright Notice
1This article is the original work of “Daily Economic News”.
2
Without the authorization of “Daily Economic News”, it may not be used in any way, including but not limited to reprinting, extracting, copying or creating mirror images, etc., offenders must be investigated.
3Copyright cooperation telephone: 021-60900099.