Tunisia's Essid presents cabinet line-up to parliament

Tunisian Prime Minister Designate Habib Essid presented his government line-up to the parliament here on Wednesday.

Essid, in his speech before the parliament, highlighted the importance of fighting terrorism by enhancing human and material resources of security forces, and cooperation with neighboring countries to secure the borders and end organized crimes.

He also said that his cabinet will focus on major reforms in various sectors, through creating national reform committees for education, health care, and development.

According to the Tunisian leader, the country is now facing multiple challenges, such as high levels of inflation and jobless rates, unfair distribution of resources among different regions, bureaucracy and debts.

Essid promised to solve these problems by promoting good governance and transparency, decentralizing power and decision-making, and changing development patterns.

Bochra Haj Hmida, a secularist Nidaa Tounes party lawmaker, protested replacing Khadija Cherif as minister of women affairs with Samira Marii from Afek Tounes party.

She urged Essid to be more honest about the pressure and political interests involved in the process.

The Islamist Party of Ennahdha was included in Essid's new cabinet list after being absent from the first one.

"It is a positive message from the government to include Ennahdha. Our party has always supported consensus and national unity," said Farida Laabidi, one of the party's legislators.

However, he criticized Essid for not addressing transitional justice and the constitutional court plan.

The leftist Popular Front chose to reject Essid's government nominations, saying that the process was vague and non-transparent.

Essid needs 109 votes in order to get his cabinet approved. Endit