Ali Larayedh sworn in as new Tunisian PM

Ali Larayedh has been sworn in as the new Tunisian prime minister, weeks after the former premier resigned amid a political crisis in the North African country.

The former Tunisian interior minister took the oath of office at a formal inauguration ceremony at the Kasbah Palace in the capital Tunis on Thursday.

The new government would listen to “the concerns of the nation and the people,” AFP quoted Larayedh as saying during his inauguration speech.

In an interview with the Associated Press earlier in the day, the new prime minister said that the restoration of “security is a vital question to establish confidence among Tunisians and incite investors to relaunch the economy.”

Tunisia’s new government won a majority of votes in the country’s Constituent Assembly on Wednesday.

On March 8, Larayedh issued a statement saying, “After marathon negotiations, we have reached an agreement on the government… the next government will be the government of all Tunisians.”

The assassination of leftist opposition figure Shokri Belaid outside his home in the capital in early February triggered violent demonstrations across the country, with the headquarters of the ruling Ennahda party being attacked in more than a dozen cities.

On February 9, the government issued a statement saying that at least one Tunisian policeman was killed and 59 others wounded during unrest sparked by the murder of Belaid. Some 375 people were also arrested, the statement added.

On February 19, former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali resigned after he was unable to extricate the country from the political crisis through the formation of a new government.

Opposition groups have accused Ennahda of being behind the assassination. However, the party’s leader, Rashid al-Ghannushi, condemned the deadly assault and rejected the allegation.