Tunisia Leader Picks Romdhane as Prime Minister

Tunisian President Kais Saied has named Najla Bouden Romdhane, a little-known university engineer who worked with the World Bank, as prime minister on Wednesday nearly two months after he seized most powers in a move his foes call a coup.

Romdhane, Tunisia’s first woman prime minister, will take office at a moment of national crisis, with the democratic gains won in a 2011 revolution in doubt and as a major threat looms to public finances.

Saied dismissed the previous prime minister, suspended parliament and assumed wide executive powers in July and has been under growing domestic and international pressure to form a new government.

Last week he brushed aside much of the constitution to say he could rule largely by decree.

He has named Romdhane under the provisions he announced last week and has asked her to quickly form a new government, the presidency said on social media.