(Adnkronos) – Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed Prime Minister Kamel Madouri, a technician who was appointed last August as part of a government reshuffle, replacing him with former Public Works Minister Sarra Zaafrani, the Tunisian presidency said. Zaafrani Zenzri, 62, is the second woman to become prime minister in Tunisia after Najla Bouden, who served from October 2021 to August 2023. She takes office at a complicated time for Tunisia, criticized by the United Nations for the imprisonment of Saied’s political opponents and while human rights groups denounce a downsizing of freedoms.
Tunisia, which is grappling with high and growing public debt, has long been mired in serious economic and financial difficulties and for years has been unable to reverse a trend of low growth and high unemployment. Saied, who became president of Tunisia, the only democracy to emerge from the so-called Arab Spring, in 2019, assumed full powers in 2022. Since then, he has appointed four different cabinets, often expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s performance.
While not commenting on Madouri’s dismissal, in a video posted on the presidency’s Facebook page, Saied is seen talking to Zaafrani about the need to better coordinate the “work of government,” insisting on the need to remove “obstacles to meeting the expectations of the Tunisian people.” The presidency said there were no other changes to the executive other than Salah Zouari, who was appointed public works minister to replace Zaafrani.
