Tunisia: Anticipation for the Announcement of the New Government Formation

Tunisian citizens are awaiting, today Saturday, the announcement by President Kais Saied regarding the government formation and the name of the Prime Minister. Tunisian media reported that Saied will reveal it soon in an official speech. "Al-Arabiya" reported that Tawfik Sharafeddine, the former Minister of Interior in the Mechichi government, is one of the main candidates for the Prime Minister position. The new government structure may adopt a cluster approach, similar to an economic and financial pole. This comes as the Tunisian General Labor Union warned on Friday about the risks of centralizing powers in the hands of the Tunisian president, stating that his monopoly on constitutional amendments and the electoral law poses a threat to democracy, and calling for dialogue. Saied had dismissed the Prime Minister and suspended the work of Parliament on July 25, confirming that he is seeking to save the country. The labor union stated that there is no solution to overcome the current crisis other than consulting, sharing, and dialogue based on national principles, Tunisian sovereignty, and serving the people, while detaching from personal and factional interests. The Tunisian General Labor Union, which includes a million members, is a major influential player in the Tunisian scene. It welcomed Saied's actions on July 25 but urged him to operate within the constitutional framework. The union also warned about the "risks of consolidating powers in the hands of the head of state in the absence of constitutional reform structures," emphasizing that "the constitution is a starting point and a main reference, pending a well-informed referendum on its amendment resulting from extensive dialogue."