Tunisia president picks new Prime Minister

Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday appointed former finance minister, Elyes Fakhfakh as a new prime minister designate.

Fakhfakh has been mandated to form a government as soon as possible,” the presidency said in a statement.

The new PM designate proposal will have to gain the approval of a divided parliament, which this month rejected an earlier attempt to form a government.

After months of negotiations that followed elections last October, parliament dismissed a cabinet list proposed under the leadership of the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party.

Ennahdha won more seats than any other party in October’s legislative election, but was still far short of a majority.