In an unprecedented move in Tunisia’s history, President Kais Saied issued a presidential decree to divide the country into five distinct regions. The decree was officially published in the government gazette on Friday.
According to the first section of the decree, “The territory of the Republic of Tunisia is composed of five regions.” The boundaries of these regions were delineated as follows:
• The first region encompasses the governorates of Bizerte, Beja, Jendouba, and Kef.
• The second region includes the governorates of Tunis, Ariana, Ben Arous, Zaghouan, Manouba, and Nabeul.
• The third region is formed by the governorates of Siliana, Sousse, Kasserine, Kairouan, Monastir, and Mahdia.
• The fourth region comprises the governorates of Tozeur, Sidi Bouzid, Sfax, and Gafsa.
• Finally, the fifth region covers the governorates of Tataouine, Gabes, Kebili, and Medenine.
The decree’s second section specifies that the regional council “will rotate meetings among the constituent governorates of the region, with sessions held at the governorate’s headquarters.” Additionally, “the meeting location will change every six months for each region according to the order mentioned in the first section of the presidential order.”
The third section of the decree emphasizes the importance for the constituent governorates of a region to provide all necessary human and material resources to regional councils, ensuring their efficient performance.
It’s worth noting that this division is part of the new political framework stipulated in Tunisia’s new constitution ratified in 2022. The structure also paves the way for the establishment of the National Council for Regions and Areas (a second parliamentary chamber), as provided for in the new constitution.
