Reshuffled Tunisian cabinet wins confidence vote

TUNIS, Tunisia

A reshuffled Tunisian cabinet led by Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi won a confidence vote in parliament late Tuesday.

The changes in 11 of the 25 ministers were approved by an absolute majority.

Some 150 out of the 217 deputies attended the session, which lasted for more than 10 hours.

The changes pertained to the justice minister; interior minister; health minister; industry, energy and mining minister; culture minister; youth and sports minister; state property and land affairs minister; local affairs and environment minister; agriculture, water resources and fisheries minister; industry and small and medium enterprises minister; and vocational education and employment minister.

The Ennahda Movement, Heart of Tunisia party, Al-Karama (Dignity) Coalition and National Bloc voted in favor of the new cabinet and the Democratic Bloc, Free Constitutional Bloc and some independent lawmakers voted against it.

Meanwhile, the Free Constitution Party announced that it held a demonstration in front of parliament to gather signatures for a petition to withdraw confidence from Tunisian Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, who is also the leader of the Ennahda party, and Mechichi.

The action in question was a step taken against civil forces and party groups who refused to sign the petition requiring the signatures of 73 deputies, Abir Moussi, head of the Free Constitution Party's parliamentary bloc, said in a press conference.

The Cabinet of Hisham El-Mechishi, who was assigned to form a new government, won a confidence vote on Sept. 2.

President Kais Saied assigned Mechichi, who was the interior minister at the time, to form a new government on July 26.

El-Mechishi dismissed three ministers, including the interior, culture and environment ministers, in four months for various reasons.