TUNIS— President Kais Saied named a geologist with little government experience as Tunisia’s first woman prime minister on Wednesday amid a crisis following his seizure of powers and with public finances close to breaking point.
Saied’s office published a video of him meeting Bouden in his office and charging her with presenting a cabinet “in the coming hours or days”.
He repeatedly emphasized the “historic” nature of the nomination of a woman, calling it “an honor for Tunisia and an hommage to Tunisian women”.
Saied said the new government’s main mission would be to “put an end to the corruption and chaos that have spread throughout many state institutions”.
The new government should respond to the demands and dignity of Tunisians in all fields, including health, transport, and education, he added.
Bouden will be Tunisia’s tenth prime minister since a 2011 uprising overthrew longtime dictator Zine El Abedine Ben Ali, sparking the Arab Spring revolts.
Tunisia faces a rapidly looming crisis in public finances after years of economic stagnation were aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic and political infighting.
The country has won international plaudits for its democratic transition but many Tunisians have seen little improvement in their lives and have become disillusioned with a dysfunctional and corrupt political process.
The new government will have to move very quickly to seek financial support for the budget and debt repayments after Saied’s power grab in July put talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on hold.
Saied’s moves placed vast executive powers in the hands of the president, who will himself head the cabinet.
His rulings on September 22 also extended the suspension of parliament.
Najla Bouden, the same age as Saied at 63, is a former director at PromESsE, a higher education reform project, and has held senior positions at Tunisia’s higher education ministry.
Originally from Kairouan, she is a French-educated geologist with a doctorate in geological engineering and is a lecturer at Tunisia’s national engineering school.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK
