TUNIS — The moderate Islamist Ennahda party, Tunisia’s largest party in parliament, issued a statement Oct. 14 rejecting the new government headed by Najla Bouden. “It’s a de facto government of the unconstitutional Decree 117,” in reference to the order issued by President Kais Saied on Sept. 22, which put the executive and legislative powers in his hands.

Twenty-four members of the new government, which includes 10 women and is headed by a female prime minister for the first time in the history of Tunisia, took the constitutional oath before President Saied on Oct. 11 at the Carthage Palace.

Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki said in a Facebook post on Oct. 14 that the new government was illegitimate because it did not gain the vote of confidence in parliament since it was suspended by Saied on July 25, in an explicit violation of the constitution.

Political activist Jaouhar Ben M’barek said on Facebook on Oct. 11 that Bouden’s government is an illegal “coup body,” adding, “We will confront it the same way we would a coup, and it will face the same fate.”