Tunisia: Democratic Current refuses to back PM’s government

The Tunisian Democratic Current Party yesterday criticised Prime Minister-designate Hichem Mechichi’s approach to establishing his government, stressing it refuses to put its trust in this government.

A statement issued by the party’s National Council claimed that the Democratic Current was “shocked by the way Mechichi has formed the government, as he opted for an apolitical technocratic government.”

It added that the appointed Prime Minister “relied on superficial and ambiguous negotiations devoid of any sense of seriousness.”

“This issue is targeting the emerging democratic process and marginalising the role of political parties, which are the core of democratic systems. It is also an infringement of the will of the voters,” declared the party.

“At first, the party was very positive about the person entrusted to form the government, and it was willing to support a government that carries a vision and a political perspective in order to save the country, regardless of its position inside or outside the government,” it claimed.

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 “The party has resolved not to give its trust to the Mechichi government, committing itself to exercising its supervisory role in the responsible and meaningful opposition,” it said.

On 25 July, Tunisian President Kais Said mandated Hichem Mechichi to form the new government within one month, starting the next day.

Mechichi is an independent figure and does not belong to any political party or group.

Tunisia has recently experienced a serious political crisis due to the escalation of differences between political parties and suspicions of conflict of interest that forced Prime Minister Elias Fakhfakh to resign.

Mechichi held the post of Interior Minister in the Fakhfakh’s government last February.