Tunisian President Dismisses Prime Minister: Enough Oppression of Citizens… Criminal Gangs Operate in Public Facilities
Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed Prime Minister Kamal El-Madouri and appointed Minister of Equipment and Housing, Sarah Zafrani Zenzeri, as his successor, according to an announcement by the presidency on Friday morning, without explaining the reasons for the decision.
In a statement, the presidency said that Saied “decided to terminate the duties of Kamal El-Madouri as Prime Minister and appoint Mrs. Sarah Zafrani Zenzeri as his successor,” noting that the president also appointed Salah Al-Zuwari as Minister of Equipment and Housing, while keeping the rest of the ministers in their positions.
On February 6, Saied also dismissed Finance Minister Siham Nemssia at midnight and replaced her with Judge Mushkat Salama Al-Khalidi.
The new Prime Minister (62 years old) speaks Arabic, French, English, and German. She is the second woman to lead the Tunisian government after Najla Bouden, who held the position from October 2021 to August 2023.
Bouden was dismissed during a period of economic and social crisis, particularly with the shortage of essential goods such as subsidized bread. She was replaced by Ahmed Al-Hashani, a former executive at the Central Bank, who was also dismissed last summer.
Zafrani has been the Minister of Equipment and Housing since 2021 and holds a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering.
Saied had repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with his government’s performance in recent weeks.
Before the dismissal decision, the Tunisian president stated in a National Security Council meeting, “It is time to hold every official fully accountable, regardless of their position and the nature of their complicity.”
“Failure to Take Responsibility”
In a video posted by the presidency, Saied added, “Enough with the dysfunction, failure to take responsibility, and oppression of citizens. Criminal gangs are operating in public facilities,” referring to the deterioration of public services and widespread complaints from Tunisians.
He also pointed out what he described as “lobbies and cartels that find people in the government palace to serve and protect them.”
He emphasized that the “disturbances” in the country in recent times “coincided with the beginning of trials for those conspiring against state security, and the picture is clear.”
At the beginning of March, trials began for about 40 political figures, human rights activists, journalists, and lawyers in what is known as the “conspiracy against internal and external state security” case.
Tunisia is facing severe economic and financial difficulties, with limited growth at 1.4% in 2024, an unemployment rate of 16%, and debts amounting to about 80% of its GDP.
The president has full powers, allowing him to dismiss ministers and judges. In August 2024, he carried out a comprehensive reshuffle, appointing El-Madouri as Prime Minister. El-Madouri was a former government employee specializing in social affairs.
He also changed 19 ministers, justifying his decision by citing the “supreme interest of the state” and national security needs.
This appointment comes amid a turbulent political atmosphere, with dozens of opposition figures imprisoned, some for two years, in addition to detained businessmen and media personalities.
In the summer of 2021, Kais Saied dismissed the Prime Minister and froze the parliament before fully dissolving it later.
Since then, he has amended the constitution to re-establish a presidential system in which he holds all powers.
Since then, the opposition and Tunisian and international organizations have condemned the decline in rights and freedoms in Tunisia.
Saied was re-elected on October 6, 2024, with a sweeping majority (more than 90%) in elections marked by very low voter turnout, which was less than 30%.
More than a year ago, Saied cut off negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, which had proposed a $2 billion loan in exchange for a series of reforms, particularly in government subsidies for energy products.
