Tunisia

31 July 2020; MEMO: Tunisia’s parliament speaker Rached Ghannouchi on Thursday maintained his position after surviving a no-confidence vote, Anadolu Agency reports.

His Ennahda party’s MPs are celebrating as the results allow Ghannouchi to continue his term of 2020-2024.

“Thank you for your trust. Tunisia, revolution and legitimacy triumph,” Ghannouchi tweeted.

Earlier Thursday, the Tunisian parliament began a secret vote on Ghannouchi, the head of the party with the largest majority.

30 July 2020; MEMO: Head of Ennahda parliamentary bloc Noureddine Al-Beheiri revealed what he referred to as “pressure exerted from inside and outside the country” with the temptation of Emirati funds to urge MPs to amend their positions and to withdraw confidence from Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi during the voting session scheduled for next Thursday.

TUNIS, July 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tunisian President Kais Saied designated the interior minister as the new prime minister to succeed Elyes Fakhfakh, who resigned over allegations of a conflict of interest, the presidency said.

New premier Hichem Mechichi pledged to respond to the social and economic demands that have spawned constant protests in the North African country.

“I will work to form a government that meets the aspirations of all Tunisians and to respond to their legitimate demands,” Mechichi said.

26 July 2020; MEMO: Tunisia’s Interior Minister Hisham El-Mechishi will form the country’s government, the official news agency announced Saturday, Anadolu Agency reports.

Tunisian President Kais Saied appointed el-Mechishi to form the government, according to the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP).

Having no attachments to a political party, el-Mechishi was not nominated for the prime minister’s seat by any party.

18 July 2020; MEMO: Tunisian President Kais Said has asked parties, coalitions, and parliamentary blocs on Friday to present their candidates to succeed Elyes Al-Fakhfakh as prime minister, according to local media.

17 July 2020; MEMO: The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) called for a referendum on the political system and the amendment of the electoral law on Thursday.

The UGTT rejected the proposed amendment to the electoral law, which includes raising the electoral threshold (the percentage of votes required to obtain a seat in parliament to five per cent).

15 July 2020; MEMO: Tunisia’s Ennahda, the biggest party in the parliament, decided on Wednesday to withdraw confidence from the government, a senior official in Ennahda told Reuters.

Ennahda’s move will deepen the political crisis engulfing Prime Minister Elyas Al-Fakhfakh, whom Ennahda says has lost credibility due to an alleged conflict of interest.

TUNIS, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied received on Monday Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, said the Tunisian presidency in a statement.

During the meeting, Saied discussed with the Greek foreign minister ways and means of further strengthening bilateral relations, in addition to regional and international issues of common interest, in particular "the chaotic situation in Libya."

19 June 2020; MEMO: Press sources revealed on Tuesday that they had detected an Israeli spy plane flying near the Tunisian shores.

The sources indicated that the plane from the Nachshon-Shavit intelligence unit had been launched from the Nevatim Air Force Base south of the country.

12 June 2020; MEMO: The death toll from a ship packed with African migrants that sank off the Tunisian coast this week has risen to 46 after Tunisia recovered more bodies on Thursday, a civil protection official told Reuters.

On Tuesday 20 bodies were found off Tunisia’s Mediterranean coast near Sfax. A total of 53 people had set out on the boat at the weekend aiming to reach Italy.