The prime minister of Tunisia is fired by the president, who cites economic failures and migration crises

Following economic hardships and an increasing migrant population, Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed Prime Minister Kamel Maddouri and nominated Sara Zaafarani.

Less than a year after taking office, Tunisian President Kais Saied fired Prime Minister Kamel Maddouri and promoted Sara Zaafarani to the position. Tunisia is dealing with a faltering economy and a growing migration problem that is affecting thousands of people from sub-Saharan Africa at the time of the government shift.

Zaafarani, an engineer who has been the Minister of Housing and Equipment since 2021, is the third prime minister of the nation in less than two years. She was appointed in response to Saied’s mounting discontent, as he has chastised ministers for falling short of expectations. Additionally, he fired Finance Minister Sihem Boughdiri last month.

During a meeting that was streamed on the presidency’s Facebook page, Saied asked Zaafarani to increase government coordination and tackle the main issues that the Tunisians face. Salah Zouari was appointed Minister of Equipment concurrently.

With GDP stalling at 1.4% over the past year and public finances in a crisis, Tunisia’s economic condition is still bleak. Public dissatisfaction has been exacerbated by shortages of necessities like rice, coffee, and sugar. At a meeting of the National Security Council, Saied pledged to go on in his “liberation battle” to uphold justice for all residents and oppose what he saw as persistent plots.

Additionally, thousands of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa are using Tunisia to reach Europe, causing an unprecedented rise in migration to the nation. After authorities stopped their attempts to reach the Italian coast, many were forced to dwell in temporary camps in Amra and Jbeniana. As tensions between locals and migrants have increased, human rights organizations have accused the government of promoting anti-Muslim sentiment.

When Saied took over broad authority in 2021 by dismissing parliament and making decisions by decree, he was met with fierce criticism, with some calling his actions a coup. Zaafarani’s selection represents yet another political upheaval in a nation in turmoil as Tunisia faces increasingly severe economic and social issues.