Supporters of Tunisia's Free Destourian Party take part in a protest demanding the dissolution of Parliament and asking for early legislative elections next to the government palace in Tunis. EPA
Supporters of Tunisia's Free Destourian Party take part in a protest demanding the dissolution of Parliament and asking for early legislative elections next to the government palace in Tunis. EPA
Supporters of Tunisia's Free Destourian Party take part in a protest demanding the dissolution of Parliament and asking for early legislative elections next to the government palace in Tunis. EPA
Supporters of Tunisia's Free Destourian Party take part in a protest demanding the dissolution of Parliament and asking for early legislative elections next to the government palace in Tunis. EPA

Tunisia's Interior Ministry takes control of local government


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Tunisia’s government dissolved its Ministry of Local Affairs on Wednesday, bringing the municipality councils under the control of the Ministry of the Interior in a move some have criticised as an attack on the country’s democracy.

The new decree also places financial responsibility for the Fund for Loans and Support of Local Communities as well as the Training and Support Centre for Decentralisation under the supervision of the ministry, whose primary purpose is governing state security and police forces.

The municipal elections held in 2018 were seen as a sign of real progress in Tunisia’s democratic transition. The councils were a step towards dismantling the highly centralised state power developed during the years of rule by Habib Bourguiba and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The Ministry for Local Affairs had been the bridge between national and local governments but was absent from the list of ministries announced as part of Kais Saied and his prime minister Najla Bouden’s new government.

Mr Saied evoked emergency powers on July 25, firing the previous prime minister and suspending Parliament, claiming he was acting to remove an ineffectual government amid an economic and health crisis.

On September 22, he suspended parts of the constitution and installed rule by decree, maintaining full control of the judiciary as well as powers to sack ministers and issue laws.

“Because neither Mr Saied nor Najla Bouden have offered any explanation of this action, nobody knows why they have done this, but one interpretation is that it is a symbolic statement because the municipal councils are made up of elected people from political parties,” Chaima Bouhlel, an expert in North African democratic transition and decentralisation and a non-resident fellow at The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, told The National.

“Some would argue that he is doing this so he has more oversight of municipalities and that he is more comfortable negotiating with the security services and armed forces,” she added.

Ms Bouhlel said that in practical terms, the municipalities can continue to function normally and the real problem is the delay in some decisions.

But with the municipalities coming under the aegis of the Ministry of the Interior, “there is a conflict of political interest because now the Ministry of the Interior is bidding for budgets for both security and for local governments and because security is seen as a high priority, funding for local government may suffer.

“This is not an advancement of decentralisation of power nor of democracy in Tunisia.”

RESULTS

5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m

Winner Thabet Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)

5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m

Winner Blue Diamond, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi

6pm Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m

Winner Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi

6.30pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Shoja’A Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Heros De Lagarde, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m

Winner Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Brief scores

Barcelona 2

Pique 36', Alena 87'

Villarreal 0

'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'

Director:Michael Lehmann

Stars:Kristen Bell

Rating: 1/5

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Ireland v Denmark: The last two years

Denmark 1-1 Ireland 

7/06/19, Euro 2020 qualifier 

Denmark 0-0 Ireland

19/11/2018, Nations League

Ireland 0-0 Denmark

13/10/2018, Nations League

Ireland 1 Denmark 5

14/11/2017, World Cup qualifier

Denmark 0-0 Ireland

11/11/2017, World Cup qualifier

 

 

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)

Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)

Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)

Playing September 30

Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)

Results

2pm: Handicap Dh 90,000 1,800m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).

2.30pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,950m; Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.

3pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

3.30pm: Jebel Ali Classic Conditions Dh300,000 1,400m; Winner: Thegreatcollection, Adrie de Vries, Doug Watson.

4pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Oktalgano, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

4.30pm: Conditions Dh250,000 1,400m; Winner: Madame Ellingtina, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

5pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Mystery Land, Fabrice Veron, Helal Al Alawi.

5.30pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,000m; Winner: Shanaghai City, Jesus Rosales, Rashed Bouresly.

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Updated: November 25, 2021, 8:18 PM`