President Beji Caid Essebsi proposed local affairs minister Youssef Chahed as the new Prime Minister of the Government of National Union, during consultations held, Monday evening, TAP learnt from an informed source at the presidency.
"The appointment of Youssef Chahed to form the new government could be announced officially, Wednesday," the same source specified.
President Beji Caid Essebsi launched, Monday in Carthage, consultations with stakeholders in the dialogue on the formation of a national unity government after the parliament voted no-confidence in Prime Minister Habib Essid on Saturday.
Representatives of the three national organisations were present at the launch of the consultations, namely Secretary General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), Houcine Abbasi, President of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries (UTAP), Abdelmajid Ezzar and Vice President of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), Hichem Elloumi, the Presidency said on its official Facebook Page.
The parties were represented by Rached Ghannouchi (Ennahdha), Slim Riahi (UPL), Mohsen Marzouk (Machrou Tounes), Kamel Morjene (Destourian Initiative), Samir Ettaieb (Al-Massar), Hafedh Caid Essebsi (Nida Tounes), Yassine Brahim (Afek Tounes), Zouheir Maghzaoui (Echaab Movement) and Issam Chebbi (Republican Party).
The president had met on Monday with outgoing PM Habib Essid and discussed with him “the continuation by the resigning government to work as a caretaker government before the new government takes office,” according to a press release of the Presidency of the Republic.
Essid’s government was dismissed in a no-confidence vote by the House of People’s Representatives after a total of 118 MPs voted the motion with 27 abstentions and 3 against. The other MPs did not take part in the vote on a total of 191 present at the plenary session.
