Tunisian President appoints Najla Bouden as the country’s first female Prime Minister

[sharminsultana]

The Tunisian president on Wednesday appointed geologist Najla Bouden as the country’s first-ever female prime minister-designate, to form a government with limited executive power after the president assumed broad powers two months ago.

The university professor of the city of Kairouan, a political unknown, will take office after Kais Saied sacked the government of Hichem Mechichi on July 25, suspended parliament, lifted the immunity of deputies and resumed judicial power.

Its decisions followed months of political stalemate in the face of a pressing economic crisis and rising coronavirus deaths.

While some Tunisians backed his decisions against a vilified political class, he faced repeated calls to appoint a government.

Last week he extended the suspension of parliament and decided to rule by decree, suspending parts of the country’s post-revolutionary constitution.

Saied’s office released a video on Wednesday of him meeting phone number library Bouden in his office and accusing him of presenting a cabinet “in the hours or days to come.”

He repeatedly underlined the “historic” nature of the appointment of a woman, qualifying her “as an honor for Tunisia and a tribute to Tunisian women”.

Saied, who was the only person speaking in the video, said Bouden’s main mission would be to “put an end to the corruption and chaos that has spread to many state institutions.”

Political scientist Slaheddine Jourchi welcomed the appointment of a female prime minister but warned that Tunisia faces significant economic and political challenges.