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Tunisia's Interim President, PM Quit Ruling Party

VOA News 18 January 2011

State media reports from Tunisia say the country's interim president and prime minister have resigned from the ruling party of ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The reports say President Fouad Mebazza and Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi quit the Democratic Constitutional Rally party but will retain their posts in running the country.

The resignations may be an effort to end days of protests by demonstrators who have called for a complete eradication of the old ruling party.

Earlier Tuesday, fresh protests broke out in the capital, Tunis, with some demonstrators voicing opposition to the selection of a new government that included many members of Mr. Ben Ali's ruling party.

Also Tuesday, at least three ministers announced they were resigning from Tunisia's day-old coalition government. Officials with the country's main labor union (the UGTT) said the three ministers were withdrawing because the union had decided it will not recognize the new government.

The Associated Press said Tunisia's health minister, who is from another opposition party, also resigned.

On Monday, Prime Minister Ghannouchi announced a coalition government that included the current ministers of defense, interior, foreign affairs and finance. He announced lower-level Cabinet positions for several opposition figures.

The announcement came after former president Ben Ali fled the country Friday after a month of protests and rioting sparked by widespread unemployment and high food prices. His departure ended more than two decades of authoritarian rule.

The capital remains occupied by tanks and heavily armed riot police, while many stores and businesses are closed. A ban on public assemblies is in place, as well as a strict nighttime curfew.

Tunisia's Interior Ministry said Monday that 78 people have died in the month-long violence. The government previously put the number of fatalities at 23. Unofficial estimates put the death toll at around 100.

Separately, ecstatic supporters of formerly exiled opposition leader Moncek Marzouki greeted him Tuesday as he arrived in the country from Paris. The head of the Congress for the Republic party says he is considering running for president.

Prime Minister Ghannouchi said Tunisia will work toward transparent, fair elections under the supervision of international observers. A presidential poll is to be held within 60 days.