Tunisia’s President Appoints First Woman As Head Of Government

Tunisian president Kais Saied has appointed the first woman as head of government.

The President has met Najla Bouden Romdhane this Wednesday and tasked her with forming a new government.

Romdhane, 63, was assigned on Wednesday to form a new government amid growing domestic and international discontent about the president’s power seizure.

Saied said he will work with Romdhane “with a firm will and determination to combat corruption and chaos that pervaded in many state institutions”.

Romdhane is likely to have less direct power than previous prime ministers under the 2014 constitution after Saied last week said that during the emergency period, the government would be responsible to the president.

Born in Tunisia’s central Kairouan province in 1958, Romdhane is a geology professor at the National School of Engineers in the capital Tunis.

Before she was appointed prime minister, she was assigned by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to implement programmes with the World Bank, according to the official Tunisian News Agency.

In 2011, she was appointed director-general in charge of quality at the Ministry of Higher Education.

The little-known engineer does not have any political affiliation, according to Anadolu Agency.

There was no immediate reaction from Tunisia’s powerful General Labour Union or political parties to Romdhane’s appointment.

However, parliament members may challenge the legality of any government appointment without the consent of the now-suspended chamber.