During the Tunisian Revolution President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled Tunisia on 14 January 2011 Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi then briefly took over as Acting President. On the morning of 15 January 2011 Ghannouchi had handed over the presidency to Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Fouad Mebazaa, This was done after the head of Tunisia's Constitutional Council, Fethi Abdennadher declared that Ghannouchi did not have right to power and confirmed Fouad Mebazaa as acting president under Article 57 of the 1959 Constitution. Ghannouchi returning to his previous position as prime minister was confirmed as prime minister by Mebazaa and formed a new national unity government on 17 January 2011 that included members of opposition parties, civil society representatives, and even a blogger who only a week previous had been imprisoned by the regime of the deposed president. On 27 February 2011 the government was dissolved and replaced by a new government led by Beji Caid Essebsi.

Ghannouchi II Cabinet

Cabinet of Tunisia
Date formed17 January 2011
Date dissolved27 February 2011 (1 month and 10 days)
People and organisations
Head of stateFouad Mebazaa (acting)
Head of governmentMohamed Ghannouchi
Total no. of members38 (incl. Prime Minister)
Member partiesRCD, Independents, UGTT (Labour Union), Ettakatol, Ettajdid, PDP, Pirate Party
Status in legislatureNational unity government
History
Election
PredecessorGhannouchi I Cabinet (1999–2011)
SuccessorCaid Essebsi Cabinet

Cabinet members

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As of 17 January members included:[1]

Office Name Party
Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi RCD
Minister of Justice Lazhar Karoui Chebbi Independent
Minister of Defence Ridha Grira RCD
Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamel Morjane RCD
Minister of Interior Ahmed Friaa RCD
Minister of Religious Affairs Laroussi Mizouri Independent
Minister of Regional and Local Development Ahmed Najib Chebbi PDP
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ahmed Brahim Ettajdid
Minister of Health Mustapha Ben Jaafar Ettakatol
Minister of Commerce and Tourism Mohamed Jegham RCD
Minister of Education Taïeb Baccouche Independent
Minister of Social Affairs Moncer Rouissi RCD
Minister of Agriculture and the Environment Habib M'barek RCD
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Mohamed Nouri Jouini Independent
Minister of Industry and Technology Afif Chelbi Independent
Minister of Finance Ridha Chalghoum RCD
Minister of Culture Moufida Tlatli Independent
Minister of Women's Affairs Lilia Labidi Independent
Minister of Transport and Equipment Slaheddine Malouche RCD
Minister of Training and Employment Houssine Dimassi UGTT
Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Aloulou Independent
Minister to the Prime Minister Abdeljelil Bédoui UGTT
Minister in charge of Administrative Development Zouheir M'dhaffer RCD
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Ounaies Independent
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Radhouane Nouisser Independent
Secretary of State for Regional and Local Development Néjib Karafi Independent
Secretary of State for Higher Education Faouzia Charfi Independent
Secretary of State for Scientific Research Refâat Chaâbouni RCD
Secretary of State for Health Lamine Moulahi Independent
Secretary of State for Planning and International Cooperation Abdelhamid Triki RCD
Secretary of State for Energy Abdelaziz Rassâa RCD
Secretary of State for Communication Technologies Sami Zaoui Independent
Secretary of State for Taxation Moncef Bouden RCD
Secretary of State in charge of State Domains Ahmed Adhoum Independent
Secretary of State for Tourism Slim Chaker Independent
Secretary of State for Transport and Equipment Anouar Ben Gueddour UGTT
Secretary of State for Agriculture and Environment Salem Hamdi Independent
Secretary of State for Youth and Sports Slim Amamou[a] Pirate Party
  1. ^ The first time in the world that a Pirate Party member ascends to a governmental post.

Resignations

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Ministers from the opposition

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On 18 January 2011 the three ministers of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), Houssine Dimassi, Abdeljelil Bédoui and Anouar Ben Gueddour resign. The same day, Mustapha Ben Jaafar, from Ettakatol, also resigned. they all stated that they had "no confidence" in a government featuring members of the RCD.

RCD members

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Following the various protests that followed after the formation of this government, Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi and interim president Fouad Mebazaa announce that they are no longer members of the Democratic Constitutional Rally. On 20 January the other ministers still members of the RCD announced that they had done the same: they were Kamel Morjane, Ridha Grira, Ahmed Friaâ, Moncer Rouissi and Zouheir M'dhaffer. The same day M'Dhaffer a close confidant of Ben Ali in charge of Administrative Development also resigned from his ministerial functions. Kamel Morjane resigned from the government on 27 January a few hours before the government reshuffle.

Reshuffle of 27 January

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Following protests against the presence of RCD members in important positions and the resignation of several ministers, the government was reshuffled on 27 January 2011. The UGTT decided not to participate but supported the new government.

Cabinet members

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Office Name Party
Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi Independent
Minister of Defence Abdelkrim Zbidi Independent
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Ounaies Independent
Minister of Interior Farhat Rajhi Independent
Minister of Justice Lazhar Karoui Chebbi Independent
Minister of Religious Affairs Laroussi Mizouri Independent
Minister of Regional and Local Development Ahmed Najib Chebbi PDP
Minister of Education Taïeb Baccouche Independent
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ahmed Brahim Ettajdid
Minister of Health Habiba Zéhi Ben Romdhane Independent
Minister of Commerce and Tourism Mehdi Houas Independent
Minister of Social Affairs Mohamed Ennaceur Independent
Minister of Agriculture and Environment Mokhtar Jallali Independent
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Mohamed Nouri Jouini Independent
Minister of Industry and Technology Afif Chelbi Independent
Minister of Justice Jalloul Ayed Independent
Minister of Culture Azedine Beschaouch Independent
Minister of Women's Affairs Lilia Labidi Independent
Minister of Transport and Equipment Yassine Brahim Independent
Minister of Training and Employment Saïd Aïdi Independent
Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Aloulou Independent
Minister in charge of Economic and Social Reforms and Coordination with the Ministries concerned Elyès Jouini Independent
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Radhouane Nouisser Independent
Secretary of State for Regional and Local Development Néjib Karafi Independent
Secretary of State for Higher Education Faouzia Charfi Independent
Secretary of State for Health Refâat Chaâbouni RCD
Secretary of State for Health Lamine Moulahi Independent
Secretary of State for Planning and International Cooperation Abdelhamid Triki RCD
Secretary of State for Communication Technologies Sami Zaoui Independent
Secretary of State in charge of State Domains Ahmed Adhoum Independent
Secretary of State for Tourism Slim Chaker Independent
Secretary of State for Agriculture and Environment Salem Hamdi Independent
Secretary of State for Youth and Sports Slim Amamou Pirate Party

Other changes

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On 10 February 2011 Ridha Belhaj is sworn in as Secretary of State to the Prime Minister. Foreign Minister Ahmed Ounaies resigns on 13 February 2011 following his remarks on the revolution, he had hailed Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Michèle Alliot-Marie as " friend of Tunisia", while the minister was summoned at the same time to explain herself in France for having offered the regime of Ben Ali the "know-how" of the French police to quell the protests when the repression was in full swing. he is replaced by Mouldi Kefi on 21 February 2011.

Resignation of the Prime Minister

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Protests flared on 19 February, with 40,000 protesters demanding a new interim government completely free of association with the old regime, and a parliamentary system of government replacing the current presidential one. As a date was announced for an election in mid-July 2011, more than 100,000 protesters demanded the removal of Ghannouchi. On 27 February, following two days of demonstrations marked by violence in the capital in which five protesters were killed and twelve injured. Ghannouchi announced his resignation on state television, He stated that he had carried his responsibilities since Ben Ali fled, and "I am not ready to be the person who takes decisions that would end up causing casualties. This resignation will serve Tunisia, and the revolution and the future of Tunisia he added.

Following him the ministers Ahmed Néjib Chebbi, Ahmed Brahim, Elyès Jouini, Afif Chelbi and Mohamed Nouri Jouini notably announced their resignation.

Ghannouchi was replaced as prime minister the same day by Beji Caid Essebsi.

References

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