TUNIS: Tunisia’s powerful labour union yesterday tried to broker a last-minute agreement between the country’s ruling Islamists and secular opposition, struggling to reach consensus over forming a new government.
The government has agreed to step down in a few weeks to ease political turmoil that has threatened to upset Tunisia’s transition to full democracy three years after its “Arab Spring” uprising.
Tunisia’s UGTT labour movement has set a deadline of Dec. 14 for the two sides to name a prime minister for a caretaker administration to govern until new elections are held early next year.
Seven major parties, including moderate Islamist party Ennahda and the main opposition bloc, the Nida Tounes party, held talks on Wednesday and talks continued yesterday to work out a deal.
“An agreement might be reached before next Saturday,” Mouldi Jandoubi, a senior leader in the UGTT, told reporters. No parties would comment.
Political parties are split over the role of Islam. Tunisia’s economy is faltering and Islamist militants have carried out a series of attacks.
REUTERS
