Tunisia: Youssef Chahed appointed prime minister of unity government

Tunisia’s president Beji Caid Essebsi on Wednesday named local affairs minister, Youssef Chahed as the new prime minister designate tasked with forming a unity cabinet.

The decision was taken on Monday after a consultation meeting with stakeholders of the National unity government.

“The President has instructed me to join the new government, a government of national unity. I want to first thank His Excellency Mr. President for his confidence and I think this is a message sent to all young people of Tunisia after the revolution and if God wants, we will be at the level of this confidence and at the level of this important responsibility in the difficult situation that our country is facing now” Youssef Chahed said.

His appointment comes days after parliament passed a vote of no confidence on outgoing premier Habib Essid.

Chahed who belongs to Essebsi’s Nidaa Tounes, takes office as Tunisia struggles with a stagnant economy and threat posed by Jihadist groups operating in the North African country.

Tunisian President Names Youssef Chahed as New Prime Minister https://t.co/lb6uNeFc9g pic.twitter.com/rIWzEZRALI

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The new prime minister assured that women would be better represented in his cabinet than the previous governments and called for a greater youth involvement.

Chahed, an in-law of Essebsi has 30 days to come up with a ministerial team.