Ennahda backs new Tunisia government, Nidaa Tounes says it’s a coup

Nidaa Tounes yesterday described a ministerial reshuffle in Tunisia as “a coup against the constitution and democracy in the country”.

Secretary-General of Nidaa Tounes Slim Riahi said in a press conference that “the ministerial reshuffle is marred by procedural errors”.

He added: “The law does not authorise the head of government to carry out this reshuffle without consulting the President of the republic and discussing the matter in a ministerial council,” which has not been done according to him.

On Monday, Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed announced a wide ministerial reshuffle in his government, including 13 ministerial portfolios and five minister delegates.

Riahi went on to accuse the Ennahda party of “being involved in a clear course of coup against democracy.”

He added that Nidaa Tounes, which has 51 out of 217 seats in parliament, is “relying on the members of parliament to bring down this coup,” as he put it.

The Tunisian president must intervene, Riahi added.

Ennahda, however, welcomed the reshuffle saying it would vote in favour of it.

In a statement to Anadolu Agency, Imed Khemiri, Official Spokesman for Ennahda, said that “under the powers granted to him in the constitution, Chahed has carried out an important ministerial reshuffle that we hope will give new hope for the performance of the government.”

Khemiri added that his movement, which has 68 seats in parliament, “welcomes the reshuffle and hopes to end the political crisis that the country has been experiencing for months.”

He said in this context: “We hope that this government will respond to our demands for economic and social reforms, boost the national economy, address the problem of public balance sheets and the deterioration of purchasing power, and ensure the success of legislative and presidential elections in 2019.”

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