Tunisian President Replaces 19 Ministers

Tunisian President Kais Saied replaced various ministers, including from the foreign and defense portfolios, the Tunisian presidency said in a statement posted on Facebook without explanation.

The abrupt reshuffle replaced 19 ministers and three state secretaries who assist ministers, just days after Saied sacked the former prime minister.

"The President of the Republic has decided to make a governmental change," said the statement, without further detail.

The move comes as the North African country prepares for presidential elections on October 6.

Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Tunisian authorities "have prosecuted, convicted or imprisoned at least eight prospective candidates" for the October vote.

The North African country under Saied was "gearing up for a presidential election amid increased repression of dissent and free speech, without crucial checks and balances on President Saied's power", HRW added.

Earlier this month, Abir Moussi, an opposition figure who has been in jail since October, was sentenced to two years in prison under a "false news" law, days after she reportedly submitted her presidential candidacy via her lawyers.

Other jailed would-be candidates include Issam Chebbi, leader of the centrist Al Joumhouri party, and Ghazi Chaouchi, former head of the social-democratic party Democratic Current, both held for "plotting against the state".

Several would-be candidates have been accused of forging these signatures, with some being sentenced to prison.

In early August Saied sacked prime minister Ahmed Hachani without explanation and replaced him with social affairs minister Kamel Madouri, the presidency announced at the time.

Mohamed Ali Nafti, who was previously secretary of state to the foreign ministry before Saied fired him in 2021. He is the new foreign affairs minister.

Khaled Shili, also a former foreign ministry official and diplomat, has been appointed as the new defense minister.