Tunisia's president reshuffles Cabinet ahead of October election

TUNIS, Tunisia -- Tunisia's President Kais Saied has sacked several members of his Cabinet this week, replacing his defense and foreign ministers as campaigning kicks off for the country's October presidential election.

Three years since Saied rewrote Tunisia's constitution granting him full power to choose his Cabinet, the reshuffling is far from the first time in which he has fired the ministers who run the country. It comes two weeks after the appointment of Kamel Madouri, a technocrat and former social affairs minister, as the North African country’s fifth prime minister in Saied’s first term.

The latest reshuffling was announced Sunday on the presidency's Facebook page with little explanation.

In all, 19 ministers were replaced, including those overseeing struggling sectors of Tunisia's economy and society — environment, tourism, trade and health. The heads of the powerful Interior and Justice ministries remain unchanged.

Saied told his newly appointed ministers that the abrupt changes to Tunisia's government were necessary to fight corruption and defend national security, Tunisia's state news agency TAP reported. Both objectives are among those Saied has for years cited to justify his moves to target his critics in government, media and civil society.

Saied is seeking a second term in Tunisia's Oct. 6 election. He will face only three challengers, after the country's election agency rejected the majority of prospective candidates, including Saied's most high-profile detractors from across Tunisia's political spectrum — right, left and Islamist.

At least eight potential challengers have been sentenced to prison or banned from running for office since election season began last month, according to a Human Rights Watch tally.