Tunisian president calls for constitutional amendment

By Adel al-Thabeti</p> <p>TUNIS (AA) – Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi on Wednesday called for amending the country's constitution for what he called &quot;differences in interpretation of some chapters.&quot;</p> <p>Essebsi was speaking at the Carthage Palace on the occasion of 63rd anniversary of Tunisia's independence from France in 1956.</p> <p>&quot;I have a ready-made version of the constitutional amendment proposals,&quot; Essebsi said, without giving more details.</p> <p>He attributed the need for this amendment to &quot;differences in the interpretation of some chapters of the constitution, and this problem must be resolved.&quot;</p> <p>He went on to note that the last government &quot;was formed without consulting the president after an agreement reached between the prime minister and Ennahda movement — largest Islamic party.&quot;</p> <p>Last November, the parliament voted by an absolute majority to grant confidence to a Cabinet reshuffle proposed by Prime Minister Youssef Chahed without holding consultations with the president.</p> <p>&quot;It was not correct to go to parliament (to ask for confidence) without going through the president,&quot; he said.</p> <p>According to the Article 71 of the Tunisian constitution, the executive authority shall be exercised by the president of the republic and a government headed by a prime minister.</p> <p>Early last year, the Nidaa Tounes party suffered an internal crisis between Essebsi — the party's founder — and Chahed, with the two accusing each other of harming the party’s interests.