First in Tunisia: a woman appointed head of government

The President of the Republic of Tunisia, Kais Saied, has appointed the academic Najla Bouden Romdhane as Prime Minister. A first to see a woman head of government in Tunisia. She was charged by the head of state to form the government.

In a statement issued by the Presidency of the Republic of Tunisia, the announcement was made of the appointment by the Head of State of this North African country, a new head of government. This is the academic Najla Bouden Romdhane, 63, appointed by President Kaïs Saïed.

“Kais Saied has charged Najla Bouden with the formation of the government, as soon as possible, in accordance with Decree-Law 117 of 2021 dated September 22, 2021 (Article 16) on exceptional measures,” said the presidential statement. Najla Bouden thus becomes the first female head of government in the history of Tunisia.

Born in 1958 in the governorate of Kairouan, Najla Bouden Romdhane has a doctorate in geology and is a professor at Tunis’s national engineering school.

She has held various positions of responsibility, notably in charge of World Bank programs’ implementation at the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education.

The appointment comes two months after the announcement of the series of exceptional measures taken by the head of state, which included the dismissal of the head of government, Hichem Mechichi. It also intervenes at a time when calls for the formation of a cabinet have multiplied.