The Tunisian presidency announced in a statement late on Wednesday that President Kais Saeed has dismissed Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani and appointed Minister of Social Affairs Kamel Mdouri as the new head of government. Hachani had been appointed to the position in August of last year. Just hours before his dismissal, Hachani stated in a video message that the government had made progress on several issues despite global challenges, including securing the country's food and energy needs.
Mdouri previously served as the head of the "National Health Insurance Fund" (governmental) and took over the Ministry of Social Affairs in May following the dismissal of Malek Zahi, who was ousted along with Interior Minister Kamel Feki. The dismissal comes amid public discontent over the ongoing crisis of recurring water and electricity outages in various regions of the country. While the government claims that Tunisia is suffering from a persistent drought that has led to a rationing system for water distribution, Saeed perceives the water outages as a conspiracy ahead of the presidential elections. He points out that the dams are full.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture clarifies that the dams' fill levels are extremely critical, reaching 25 percent. Saeed announced his candidacy for the presidential elections scheduled for October amidst widespread criticism from the opposition, human rights groups, and candidates who complain of harassment and intimidation, which they claim indicates a desire to pave the way for Saeed to win a new term.
