Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani and appointed Social Affairs Minister Kamel Maddouri as the new Prime Minister, according to a statement from the presidency on Wednesday. Hachani was appointed prime minister in August 2023. He claimed in a video message, released a few hours before he was sacked, that the government had made significant progress on several issues plaguing the country, including food and energy needs, despite global challenges. Hachani’s dismissal occurs against a backdrop of public dissatisfaction due to ongoing water and electricity outages. Despite the government’s claims that these issues are the result of a persistent drought, leading to water cuts, Saied believes they are part of a conspiracy ahead of the upcoming presidential election. The agriculture ministry, however, reports that dam levels are critically low, at just 25 percent.
SOURCE: REUTERS