One signature was sufficient for the former Tunisian Prime Minister to dissolve the Agricultural Research sector. All he needed was issuing a decree and publishing it in ar-Raed, Tunisia’s formal newspaper, on 13 January, 2015. Several pretexts could be used to justify this step such as the fact that it was done in consultation with the ministers of agriculture and higher education, that it was in accordance with the views of the administrative court, or that it sought to promote higher education and scientific research.
One can also claim that dissolving the sector was insignificant since Tunisian law gives the Prime Minister a wide range of discretion and authorizes him to issue decrees and decision that could almost reach the status of primary legislation. And this decree is one of many that the Prime Minister pens on a regular basis.
