Society
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- Politics - Demonstration - Governance
Tunisian PM succumbs to pressure, names new ministers
![]() Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi Thursday night reshuffled the country’s week-old transitional government. Senior ministers who served under the deposed president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, have been sent packing. The operation was carried out under intense negotiations after unrelenting pressure from protesters.
The interim government of Tunisia has succumbed to pressure from demonstrators after a four day uninterrupted protest outside the offices of the country’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Ghannouchi, against the inclusion of former ministers from the Ben Ali regime in the interim government. The new government was formed after "consultations with all political parties and elements of civil society who agreed to participate," Ghannouchi said. "This is a provisional government with a clear mission to help the country’s transition to democracy. Its mission is to organize elections for the people to choose freely." He promised that the elections would be held "under the supervision of an independent commission and international observers to ensure transparency." He finally called on Tunisians’ to "return to work." But after the explosion of joy that followed the announcement, the crowd gathered outside the offices of the Prime Minister continues to express its determination to have Mohammed Ghannouchi himself removed from office. Mohammed Ghannouchi who served as Prime Minister under the Ben Ali regime for eleven years was described by a protester who spoke to AFP as being a "gang leader". Mohammed Ghannouchi and two government ministers, also from the Ben Ali regime, namely, Mohamed Atif Chelbi and Mohamed Nouri Jouini, were maintained to handle technical positions: Industry and Planning, respectively. However, the key ministries of Interior, Defence, Finance and Foreign Affairs, were entrusted to technocrats and independent figures without any political affiliations. List of new interim ministers The composition of the new government Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi Minister of National Defence: Abdelkarim Zebidi Foreign Minister Ahmed Ouneies Interior Minister: Farhat Rajhi Minister of Justice: Lazhar Karoui Chebbi Religious Affairs Minister: Laroussi Mizouri Minister of Regional Development and Local: Ahmed Najib Chebbi Education Minister: Taieb Baccouch Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Ahmed Brahim Minister of Health: Mrs Habiba Zehi Minister of Trade and Tourism: Mehdi Houas Minister of Social Affairs: Mohamed Naceur Minister of Agriculture and Environment: Mokhtar Jallel Minister of Planning and International Cooperation: Mohamed Nouri Jouini Minister of Industry and Technology: Mohammad Afif Chelbi Minister of Finance: Jelloul Ayed Minister of Culture: Ezzedine Bach Chaouech Minister of Women Affairs: Mrs Lilia Laabidi Minister of Transport and Public Works: Yassin Ibrahim Minister of Training and Employment: Said Aydi Minister of Youth and Sports: Mohamed Aloulou Minister for the Prime Minister responsible for economic and social reforms: Elyes Jouini
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