TUNIS, Tunisia

Tunisia's Speaker Rached Ghannouchi has called for the complete switch over to a parliamentary system of governance.

Ghannouchi said on Sunday at a virtual meeting with Tunisians living in the US that President Kais Saied’s refrain from inviting the new Cabinet ministers for an oathtaking ceremony signifies a deeper rift.

Five days have passed since the Parliament approved the Cabinet reshuffle, but no official statement has been issued by Saied's office.

The president has not yet invited the new ministers for an official swearing-in ceremony setting tongues wagging in political circles.

Ghannouchi said his take on the situation is the dire need to switch to a parliamentary so that executive powers are in the hands of the ruling party.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara