President replaces 19 Ministers in sweeping reshuffle
In a significant and unexpected move, Tunisian President Kais Saied has replaced 19 ministers and three state secretaries, according to a statement released by the Tunisian presidency. The reshuffle, announced on Sunday, comes just days after Saied dismissed the former prime minister, ahead of the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for October 6.
The presidential statement provided no explanation for the abrupt changes. It simply stated, “This morning, August 25, 2024, the President of the Republic has decided to make a governmental change.”
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President Saied, who was elected democratically in 2019, has been at the center of political controversy since his power grab in 2021. He is currently seeking re-election, describing his candidacy as part of “a war of liberation and self-determination” aimed at establishing what he calls “a new republic.” However, his tenure has been marked by increasing authoritarianism, with several of his political opponents jailed or facing prosecution.
Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that Tunisian authorities had prosecuted, convicted, or imprisoned at least eight prospective candidates for the upcoming October election.
