Intoxicated at having made history by becoming the first Arab country to have appointed a woman to the post of head of government and scalded by the parade of male prime ministers who failed to get Tunisia back on track, Tunisian public opinion seems welcome with kindness the arrival of Najla Bouden-Romdhane at the Casbah. A favorable a priori poorly conceals the scale of the challenges that await it.
Because the political and economic situation in Tunisia is worrying, this academic – responsible for a time to facilitate access to employment for young graduates – is not going to be idle as far as she is concerned. “The works of Najla Bouden-Romdhane”, so to speak, are numerous and more difficult than the last.
To impose oneself against a president and unions who will not give him a gift
By accepting the post of head of government, Najla Bouden-Romdhane knows that she will have to deal with a president determined to remain master on board. Among the exceptional powers that Kaïs Saïed arrogated to himself, last July was the choice of future ministers. By receiving Najla Bouden-Romdhane at the Carthage Palace this Wednesday, September 29, Kaïs Saïed “pretended to entrust him with the composition of his team.”, Advance Selim Kharrat, connoisseur of Tunisian political life and member of Al Bawsala, an observatory of Tunisian parliamentary life which – the Assembly being frozen – now has its eyes fixed on the presidency. Najla Bouden-Romdhane will therefore have to demonstrate her ability to communicate with the president while making her mark. A hell of a challenge for the neophyte of political politics that she is.
Consistency, Najla Bouden-Romdhane will need it doubly in a country where the weight of the unions is decisive. Starting with that of the UGTT; the Tunisian General Labor Union. This central, seeing in the exceptional powers of the president “a danger for democracy”, will probably not hesitate to tackle its new head of government in due course.
And as if that were not enough, Najla Bouden-Romdhane – failing to obtain the confidence of Parliament, it being frozen – will have to redouble efforts to win that of Tunisians who ultimately know very little about her.
Reassure the international community
Praised by those close to her for her calm and empathy, Najla Bouden-Romdhane will also have to reassure internationally. All summer, the concerns of the United States, Europe, and even that of the G7 countries have shown how difficult it is for the international community to understand the intentions of a Tunisian president whose communication is definitely not the main asset. While the Francophonie summit is to be held in Jerba next November, the appointment of this woman more experienced in the exercise of representation than the Head of State may prove to be an asset. Others will say less evil, as Najla Bouden-Romdhane is not a career diplomat either.
Renewing ties with the IMF
Last task and undoubtedly the most difficult, he will have to renew contact with the IMF – ” at the end of his patience vis-à-vis Tunisia, According to Selim Kharrat – and to use his capital of sympathy to find a solution to the economic slump which threatens Tunisia. Negotiations for a new loan – worth 3.3 billion euros – had stalled since Kaïs Saïed’s coup. She, who carried out a mission for the World Bank in connection with the employability of young Tunisians, remains, however, a novice in negotiations of this magnitude. His forthcoming appointment of a Minister of the Economy will give a better idea of the strategy that Najla Bouden-Romdhane – and therefore Kaïs Saïed – wishes to pursue while Tunisia, by dint of borrowing to repay previous debts, is now close to default. of payment.
The hazing promises to be tough for the former professor of higher education that she was. It remains to be hoped that this trained geologist will have a good heart. The appointment of Najla Bouden-Romdhane has in any case not calmed the opponents of Kaïs Saïed. Messages calling for demonstrations on Sunday, October 3 against what they call the “coup” are circulating on social networks. The state of grace only lasted a few days for the brand new head of the Tunisian government.
