CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th July, 2020) Over 73 Tunisian lawmakers � more than a third of all parliamentarians � have signed a petition for the withdrawal of confidence from parliamentary speaker Rached Ghannouchi, which would allow the legislative body to vote on the matter, member of the Democratic Bloc Haykel Mekki said on Monday amid.
According to the 51st chapter of the internal charter, Tunisian lawmakers can call a vote of no confidence in the parliamentary speaker by an absolute majority if at least a third of its members submit a written statement to the presidium of the parliament.
"A written statement on the need to consider a vote of no confidence in parliamentary speaker Rached Ghannouchi has been signed by far more than 73 people," Mekki told the TAP news agency.
The lawmaker added that the collection of signatures continues, without naming the exact number of signatories.
"There is only one point in the petition - the need to call a vote of no confidence in Ghannouchi due to the violations committed by him in terms of the parliament's leadership," the lawmaker said, adding that the petition was launched simultaneously with a similar initiative by the Free Destourian Party.
The politician added that the speaker's resignation was necessary because the parliament could not resume work in an atmosphere of "scandals and chaos." In particular, on July 10, the parliamentary meeting was terminated early due to verbal skirmishes among a number of lawmakers.
Mekki noted that the initiative had nothing to do with Ghannouchi's proposal to hold consultations on the formation of a new government over a possible conflict of interest related to Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh.
According to lawmakers, Ghannouchi is responsible for several violations of the parliamentary regulations. In particular, one of the rules requires that the formation of any committee be announced before it begins its work. However, three meetings of the committee to investigate a possible conflict of interest have already taken place.
The conflict of interest investigation was triggered after he unveiled he was a shareholder in a private company, which won a public tender, following his appointment as prime minister in late February. The Tunisian law prohibits the prime minister from owning shares in companies that have commercial dealings with the government.
Moreover, in late May, lawmakers of four parliamentary blocs asked the speaker to not become involved in the country's foreign policy, as he congratulated on behalf of parliament the Government of National Accord in Libya, without consulting lawmakers.
