Tunisia’s President Sacks Finance Minister, Appoints Magistrate to Key Role

 Shake-Up in Tunisia’s Finance Ministry Amid Economic Struggles

Tunisia’s President, Kais Saied, has dismissed Finance Minister Sihem Boughdiri Nemsia and appointed Michket Slama Khaldi, a magistrate, to oversee the country’s financial affairs. The announcement was made via the presidency’s official Facebook page overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, accompanied by images of Khaldi taking the oath of office.

The presidency provided no official explanation for the sudden dismissal of Nemsia, who had been in charge during Tunisia’s ongoing economic crisis, marked by food shortages, inflation, and financial instability.

Who is Michket Slama Khaldi?

Before her appointment, Khaldi led a national commission focused on recovering embezzled public funds. Her selection signals President Saied’s continued crackdown on financial corruption as Tunisia grapples with an economic downturn and debt crisis.

Tunisia’s Economic Woes Deepen

For the past two years, Tunisia has suffered from sporadic shortages of essential goods, including:

• Milk, sugar, and flour

• Domestic gas cylinders, widely used for cooking and heating

These shortages have fueled public frustration and anti-government protests, with critics accusing Saied’s administration of failing to address economic hardships since he assumed near-total power in 2021.

Political and Economic Tensions Rising

The finance ministry shake-up comes at a time when Tunisia is facing:

• Struggles to secure a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• A mounting debt crisis with concerns over default

• Widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of inflation and unemployment

What’s Next for Tunisia?

With Khaldi now at the helm of the finance ministry, all eyes will be on how she manages Tunisia’s financial policies, particularly regarding reforms, international negotiations, and debt management.

As Tunisia faces continued economic uncertainty, Saied’s leadership decisions will be under intense scrutiny, both domestically and internationally.