adminHamdi Jebali, the Tunisian prime minister, has threatened to resign unless his Ennahda party and other parties accept his proposals for an interim government of technocrats.
Jebali, who is in dispute with his party over his proposal for a new government, said on Saturday he would present his new cabinet “by the middle of next week by the latest”, TAP news agency reported.
If the team was accepted by parties represented in the country’s constituent assembly without being put to a vote he would remain on as prime minister, Jebali said. Otherwise, he said, he would resign.
Jebali first made the announcement on Wednesday, hours after the assassination of opposition leader Shokri Belaid outside his home by an unknown assailant.
Ennahda rejected that idea soon afterward. Jebali said on Friday that he was confident he could gain his party’s support. It remains unclear how he plans to pull enough support to his side.
“I am convinced this is the best solution for the current situation in Tunisia,” Jebali said late on Friday.
Thousands of supporters of Ennahda party demonstrated in the capital on Saturday, a day after the funeral of the assassinated opposition leader.
The demonstrators chanted “The people still want Ennahda” and “The revolution continues” as they marched along the central Avenue Bourguiba on Saturday. — TAP.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter