Tunisia’s Ennahda says president ready to supervise national dialogue

Tunisia’s Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi announced yesterday that President Kais Saied has agreed to supervise a national dialogue with the aim of resolving the political crisis that has ravaged the country for months.

Since 16 January, Saied and Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi have engaged in a heated dispute over the cabinet reshuffle that was approved by parliament. This came after Saied refused to allow the newly appointed ministers to swear the oath of office, claiming the reshuffle was marred by violations, which Mechichi rejected.

On the sidelines of a parliamentary committee meeting, Ghannouchi said in a press statement the Secretary-General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) Noureddine Tabboubi informed him that Saied has agreed to supervise the national dialogue, an Anadolu Agency correspondent reported.

In early December, the UGTT launched an initiative aimed at easing the economic and social crises facing in the country, based on the principle of conducting “a national, participatory, comprehensive dialogue to lay the foundations for social justice, equality between regions and among all Tunisians, in a way that curbs poverty rates, inequality and social injustice.”

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Ghannouchi said: “We are waiting to discuss the details, conditions and foundations of this dialogue, as it is the only way to solve Tunisia’s problems.”

He stressed that his party, Ennahda which holds a majority of seats in parliament, adheres to the approach of dialogue and rejects exclusion.