Tunisia’s premier-designate called for “sacrifices” on Friday as parliament convened to vote on a cabinet line-up he has proposed to tackle pressing economic and security challenges.
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One of the most critical allied parties, Afek Tounes, which was already part of the previous coalition, also announced in the evening, after a vote, that its 10 members would back the new line-up.
The North African state has been struggling to cope with unemployment that has worsened since the 2011 “Jasmine Revolution” when president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted.
The vote of confidence will now see Chahed and his cabinet take office in the coming days and comes amid warnings by Chahed that an austerity programme will be inevitable if the country does not overcome its economic difficulties. The new government won the confidence vote with the backing of 167 of the total 217 members. More than a third of young people in Tunisia are without work.
Chahed was appointed by President Beji Caid Essebsi on August 3 after lawmakers passed a vote of no confidence in premier Habib Essid’s government after just 18 months in office.
The leading political force in the parliament, the Islamist Ennahda party is also set to vote in favour of the new government, despite saying on Sunday that it had “some reservations” about the line-up.
Chahed warned on Friday that Tunisia’s economic growth might not exceed 1.5 percent in 2016, which would fall short of the 2.5 percent prediction.
But successive governments in the North African state have struggled with growing Islamist militant violence – tourism plummeted after two major terror attacks against foreigners past year.
“We will not allow interruption of production at any factory and we will be firm and severe in dealing with illegal strikes and sit-ins”, he said in his speech, according to Reuters news agency.
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Chahed, at 41 the youngest prime minister Tunisia has ever had, said his government would be tough on illegal strikes.
