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News Analysis: Tunisian politicians react to Prime Minister Designate's new cabinet

Xinhua, February 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Tunisian Prime Minister Designate Habib Essid has announced his second list of members of the cabinet on Monday, which included both independent and politically affiliated figures.

Essid's new cabinet consists of 27 ministers and 14 deputy ministers, including three female ministers and six female deputy ministers.

After eliminating the Islamist Party of Ennahdha from the first suggested list, Essid nominated Zied Laadhari, Ennahdha's spokesperson, as minister of employment, and two female Ennahdha politicians as deputy ministers.

Ennahdha retracted their opposition to Essid's list, and announced that they will give it their vote of confidence during the Parliament's plenary session on Wednesday.

"We approve of any government that highlights the principles of consensus and national unity," Noureddine Bhiri from Ennahdha said on Monday.

Essid's suggested cabinet included three ministers from the Afek Tounes party, such as Afek Tounes' leader Yassine Brahim.

Consequently, Parliament members of Afek Tounes who did not clarify their approval during the first nomination are to support Essid's government in the vote of confidence.

While two thirds of the cabinet belong to political parties, mainly Nidaa Tounes, Ennahdha, Afek Tounes and the Free Patriotic Union (UPL), the rest of the members are independent figures which were nominated in the first list.

Essid's first list was heavily criticized for eliminating the Islamists and other political parties from the composition of the next cabinet.

Hence, Essid delayed the Parliament's vote of confidence and continued discussions with different politicians in order to reach a larger consensus over the new list.

However, the leftist Popular Front showed dissatisfaction over the new list, as they were not included. "We will not support Essid's government during the vote of confidence," said Mongi Rahoui from the Popular Front on Monday.

Other Parliament members showed concerns over Essid's list and its potential effects on the political scene. "I have my own reservations about the names of the list," explained Adnan Hajji, an independent member of the Parliament and a former unionist.

Essid's government is to need 109 votes on Wednesday in order to be approved. In this scenario, the approval is guaranteed as Nidaa Tounes has 86 seats, Ennahdha has 69 seats and they both have announced their approval. Endit