Tunisia president requests parties to present candidates to succeed Fakhfakh

 Kais Saied

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.

The radio station Mosaique FM reported that: “The president addressed on Friday morning the parties, coalitions and parliamentary blocs, and asked them to present their proposals on the figure who will succeed Fakhfakh, to be assigned to form the next government.”

22 July, 2020, is the fixed deadline for submitting the names of candidates for the position of prime minister.

According to a statement issued by the Tunisian presidency, Said sent a message on Wednesday to parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, to inform him of the acceptance of the resignation of Fakhfakh, in accordance with the requirements of chapter 98 of the constitution, and the start of consultations to assign a new figure to form a government.

Chapter 98 of the constitution states that: “The resignation of the prime minister is the resignation of the entire government, and the resignation is submitted in writing to the president of the republic, who informs the speaker of the parliament.”

The statement also pointed out that Said sent a second letter to Ghannouchi, to provide him with a list of parties, coalitions and parliamentary blocs, with the intention of holding consultations with them, in accordance with what is stipulated in Chapter 89 of the constitution, with the aim of assigning the most capable person to form a government.