In a statement on the sidelines of the National Symposium on Major Reforms held April 11 in Gammarth, a northern suburb of Tunis, Saida Garrach, the spokeswoman for the Tunisian president, confirmed that the president does not wish to fire Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.

“Talks about President Beji Caid Essebsi’s intentions to dismiss Chahed are politically baseless. Some Tunisian political parties are trying to foment trouble,” Garrach said in statement to Shems FM radio. "Chahed’s government has the president’s support and confidence and is cooperating with the presidency.”

Garrach considered the claims about a crisis between Essebsi and Chahed as mere rumors by some political parties, without being more specific, that were designed to create confusion in the political sphere and shake the good relations between the government and the president.

Tunisian Assabah daily reported April 12 a major political crisis between the president and the prime minister, months after the latter announced his war on corruption, which led to the arrest of businessmen affiliated with Nidaa Tunis.