The Tunisian parliament issued a vote of confidence for Prime Minister Youssef Chahed’s new government on Monday, allowing the Cabinet to push ahead with economic reforms. Chahed, from the secular Nidaa Tunis party, reshuffled the government last week by replacing 13 ministers. The prime minister hopes to reduce the budget deficit and cut public wages within the next three years.
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Youssef Chahed of the secular Nidaa Tounes party reshuffled the government on Wednesday by replacing 13 ministers, including the ministers of interior, defense and finance. Chahed dubbed his new team a “war government” and tasked it with fighting "terrorism, corruption, unemployment and regional inequality.”
Eleven of the newly appointed ministers had served under former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was toppled in the 2011 Arab Spring protests. Six of the 13 new ministers are Nidaa Tounes allies while three went to members of Nida Tounes’ coalition partner, the moderate Islamist party Ennahda. Chahed has also given Ennahda the portfolio on new economic reforms. The reshuffle is expected to alleviate tensions between the two parties ahead of presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December 2019.