Tunisia: President Saied dismisses prime minister

Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani, just one year after his appointment, signaling a significant shift in the nation’s leadership landscape.

The announcement came Wednesday, with the presidency swiftly naming Kamel Maddouri, the current Minister of Social Affairs, as the new head of government.

Hachani’s removal follows a video message he delivered mere hours before, in which he touted the government’s progress in tackling various issues, despite grappling with soaring food and energy prices. His optimistic outlook, however, appears to have clashed with the stark reality faced by many Tunisians, who are expressing growing frustration over persistent water and electricity outages.

These outages, attributed to a severe drought leading to water rationing, have exacerbated public discontent. The agriculture ministry has reported that dam levels are alarmingly low, currently at just 25 percent. In a controversial twist, President Saied has suggested that the water shortages are part of a conspiracy ahead of the upcoming presidential elections, claiming that the dams are actually at full capacity.

As Tunisia gears up for the elections in October, Saied has announced his intention to seek reelection, a move met with fierce opposition from rival candidates, human rights organizations, and civic groups. Critics accuse him of employing tactics of suppression and intimidation to ensure his political survival, raising concerns about the future of democracy in Tunisia.

With the political landscape in flux and public sentiment growing increasingly volatile, all eyes will be on how Saied’s administration navigates these challenges in the coming months.