Tunisia PM: ‘My resignation is out of question’

Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi confirmed yesterday that the government will not resign as a result of the rift between him and the president, adding that everybody’s focus right now should be directed at saving the country.

“We are still witnessing an ongoing election campaign … and the prevailing logic nowadays says that a government should not stay in office more than one year, and those who left the government would like to return,” he added.

The Tunisian PM stated that “whoever talks about my resignation does not know me well. I am a responsible person and I fully assume my responsibility.”

Regarding the possibility of forming a new government under his leadership, Mechichi said: “I attempted to change the government and a lot has happened. We have to solve this problem first, and then we can talk.”

Tunisia has been witnessing a suffocating political crisis due to heated disputes between the country’s presidency, the government and parliament.

The conflict between the officials began in January when Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi dismissed five ministers, known to be close to the president, and assigned other officials to the vacant posts in the interim period.

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Saied accused Mechichi of “violating the provisions of the constitution”, and refused to allow the new officials to swear their oath ahead of taking up their posts.

Later, Saied also refused to seal a bill on the formation of the Constitutional Court, although it was approved by Parliament on two consecutive occasions.

Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi said Saied does not have the power to refuse appointments after a vote of confidence was granted to them in Parliament, adding that his role is “symbolic“.

In addition to a suffocating political crisis, Tunisia has been swept by a serious wave of coronavirus infections, leading to the death of thousands in recent days.