Several Tunisian political parties have severely criticized the president and prime minister over the government’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
On April 4, the parliament ceded some powers to Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh’s government for two months to help it handle the virus outbreak.
The decision allowed the cabinet to issue extraordinary decrees, strike purchasing agreements and seek finance without consulting parliament.
More decrees are anticipated on determining the financial penalties that will be levied on violators and those illegitimately hiking food prices, after calls for implementing chapter 14 of the terrorism law, and consider them to be practicing “food terrorism.”
Yet, several parties described the government’s performance as unsatisfactory.
Head of the Social Democratic Path – center left secularist political party – Fawzi Sharfi expressed surprise at the behavior of high-ranking officials, including President Kais Saied and Health Minister Abdullatif al-Makki.
Sharfi voiced concern over the confusion in handling the coronavirus crisis, as well as the absence of a clear short and medium-term vision on a possible decision to gradually lift the lockdown.
He called for investigations into suspected corruption in a deal on the production of medical masks involving the industry minister and the deputy speaker.
Fakhfakh declared in a televised interview late Sunday that the lockdown will be extended to May 3 before it is progressively eased.
