Tunisia's Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine resigns and successor named

Tunisia's Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine on Friday announced his resignation, citing family reasons, state-run news agency Tap reported.

Mr Charfeddine announced he has submitted his resignation to Tunisian President Kais Saied.

Soon after, the President appointed the former governor of Tunis, Kamal Feki, as the new interior minister.

“The responsibility required that I leave the Interior Ministry and the President understood the situation yesterday and permitted me to relieve myself from the position because there is another responsibility calling me,” Mr Charfeddine told reporters.

He added that his new responsibility was his family, particularly his children, after his wife's death.

“It is time that I return to my children to bear the responsibility,” he said.

Mr Charfeddine, who had held his post since October 2021, is one of the President’s closest aides.

The minister's wife died in a fire caused by a gas leak in their home in June last year.