Tunisia's Ennahda decides not to give confidence to the Essid Government

Tunisia’s Ennahda party announced on Sunday that it has decided not to give a vote of confidence to Habib Essid’s current government.

The chairman of Ennahda’s Shura Council, Fathi Ayadi, justified the movement’s position by declaring that, “the designated government is not a national unity government, and does not live up to the minimum standards of these values.”

Ayadi also noted that, “Tunisia is in need of necessary reforms to achieve the revolution’s goals in social development” and that,”the designated government did not talk about transitional justice, did not seriously address the economic field, in addition to the consultations method that preceded it.”

“The Ennahda Movement hopes to continue the political life in Tunisia on the basis of reconciliation and dialogue,” he added, pointing out that, “the culture of exclusion cannot continue in Tunisia after the revolution” and stressing that “the Ennahda Movement still calls for consensus and forming a national unity government.”

Tunisian president Al-Habib Essid announced on Friday the line-up of his cabinet, which includes 24 government ministers and 15 state secretaries, including 9 women. The cabinet line-up should be presented to parliament for a vote of confidence next Tuesday.

The current government includes the Nida’a Tounes movement (86 seats, out of the total 217 seats of the Tunisian parliament), the Free Patriotic Union party (16 seats), the National Movement party (1 seat), and a number of independents, some of whom have left-wing backgrounds.

The largest Tunisian parliamentary blocs did not participate in the government, including the Islamic Renaissance Movement Party (Ennahda), Afeq Tunisia Party (liberal) and the Popular Front party (far-left).