Tunisia interior minister Mechichi named new PM, says presidency

Tunisia's interior minister Hichem Mechichi has been appointed to form the next government, the president's office said, amid political tensions among major parties in the North African country.

The 46-year-old lawyer succeeds Elyes Fakhfakh, who resigned as prime minister earlier this month — but HIchem Mechichi was not one of the names proposed by the ruling political parties to President Kais Saied.

In a statement following Saturday's announcement, Mechichi said he would "work to form a government that meets the expectations of all Tunisians".

Tunisia has been praised as a rare success story for democratic transition after the Arab Spring regional uprisings sparked by its 2011 revolution. 

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But its leaders have struggled to meet the expectations of the Tunisian people and the already fragile economy has been battered by the closure of the country's borders because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The disease has claimed around 50 lives and infected more than 1,400 people in Tunisia.

As well as being interior minister in the outgoing government, Mechichi has been a counsellor to President Saied, handling legal matters. He has previously been chief of staff at the transport ministry and also served in the social affairs ministry.

He now has a month to form a government.

At that point his choice will be put to a parliamentary vote of confidence and will need an absolute majority to succeed. Failing that, parliament will be dissolved and new elections organised within three months.

Agence France-Presse