TUNIS: Some 250 Tunisian protesters gathered yesterday outside the government’s headquarters, demanding the resignation of the Islamist-led ruling coalition, with no end in sight for a months-old political crisis.
At the demonstration, called by the leftists Popular Front, activists slammed the ruling Islamist party Ennahda, shouting slogans such as: “Government of failure, leave!”. “This government which led national dialogue to failure by its lack of commitment, should hand in resignation as soon as possible,” said Abdelmajid Belaid, whose brother Chokri was shot dead by suspected Islamist gunmen in Tunis in February. He accused the coalition, and Ennahda in particular, of “doing nothing but impoverishing and terrorising Tunisians.”
Tunisia has been rocked by violence this year, and a second political assassination by suspected jihadists in July has caused political deadlock. The Islamists have refused the opposition’s demand to step down until key political objectives have been reached. Under a road map agreed to last month, both sides pledged to end the crisis by negotiating an interim government of independents, drafting a much-delayed constitution and preparing for elections. Agencies
