TUNIS, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday criticized a cabinet reshuffle proposed by Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi.
Saied said the reshuffle violated the country's constitution, saying that the prime minister should confer with the Council of Ministers before he decides to make changes in the cabinet.
"Some of the proposed names are involved in conflict of interest and corruption cases," the president said.
Moreover, Saied expressed his dissatisfaction with the absense of female ministers in the proposed new cabinet.
Sluggish economy, surging COVID-19 infections and strict curfews to fight the pandemic have prompted protests in the country over the past few days.
In a televised speech on Monday, Saied said the country's political situation suffers from "an incurable disease" and accused "certain parties" of inciting the protests by taking advantage of "the hunger, poverty and misery of people."
The Tunisian parliament will hold a plenary session on Tuesday to discuss the names Mechichi proposed in his new cabinet.
The prime minister announced a cabinet reshuffle on Jan. 16, saying that the move aims to replace the ministers "whose performance was deemed insufficient." Enditem
