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Tunisia’s Ennahda rejects new government proposal

The biggest party in Tunisia’s parliament on Monday rejected the idea of a government that excludes other parties, adding that it was ready to contest another election.
The statement by the moderate Islamist Ennahda threatens to upend a second attempt to form a coalition government since elections in October, which fragmented the political establishment.
“We reject the government coalition being confined to some parties,” said Abd Karim Harouni a senior official of Ennahda, which has been part of recent unity coalitions that included most parties.
Ennahda’s nominee for prime minister failed to push his proposed government through parliament on January 10, allowing President Kais Saied to nominate his choice for premier, the former finance and tourism minister Elyes Fakhfakh.
Fakhfakh said last week he would not seek to replicate recent unity coalitions, but would instead build a cabinet only from those, including Ennahda, that was “aligned with the values of the revolution.”
Ennahda’s rejection of that proposal means Fakhfakh could struggle to assemble majority support in parliament, risking a new parliamentary election.
It points to a tussle for influence between Ennahda and Saied over the shape of the next government, analysts say, with the party’s rejection of Fakhfakh’s proposal showing its fear that he will overtake it as the major political force.
Although Ennahda, the best-established party in Tunisia and a key part of successive coalition governments, came first in October’s election with 53 of the 217 seats, its vote share declined from previous polls.
Saved won the second-round run-off vote of a separate presidential election in a landslide, but as an independent, he lacks a parliamentary base of his own.
Tunisia’s prime minister and government are primarily answerable to the parliament, but the president also has a veto over new legislation they introduce.
The second-largest party, Heart of Tunisia, whose leader was defeated by Saied in the presidential election, but which is also an opponent of Ennahda, was one of those which Fakhfakh ruled out of joining the government.
It said his decision contradicted the will of voters and accused Saied of seeking to seize powers and move towards a presidential system of government.
Ennahda’s Harouni said all parties needed to be in the government to make it strong enough “to deal with major challenges and carry out necessary reforms.”
source: Reuters
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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