Tunisia's National Constituent Assembly Stops Working

Crowds gather outside the National Constituent Assembly in Tunis where the body has suspended activity pending the resolution of the existing political crisis in the North African state., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Tunisia's National Constituent Assembly stops working

Wed Aug 7, 2013 1:22AM GMT
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Tunisia's National Constituent Assembly (NCA) has suspended its work until the government and opposition begin talks in the crisis-hit country.


"I assume my responsibility as president of the NCA and suspend its work until the start of a dialogue, in the service of Tunisia,” said NCA speaker Mustapha Ben Jaafar on state television on Tuesday.

The opposition refuses to hold talks with the government, saying it should step down first but the ruling Ennahda party rules out any conditions for dialogue.

"Despite the gravity of the situation and instead of working towards unity, unfortunately party leaders have gone in the opposite direction, towards division, by mobilizing" street protests, the NCA speaker said.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of the capital Tunis to demand the government's ouster.

Earlier in the day, Tunisia's French-language daily La Presse quoted Ennahda leader, Rachid Ghannouchi, as saying that the government would not step down under pressure from the opposition.

Ghannouchi criticized the “excessive demands” for the resignation of the “elected government” in the post-revolution country. “Unfortunately every time a tragedy hits us, we immediately call for the dissolution of the government and parliament," he complained.

Tunisia has been rocked by street protests after the July 25 killing of left-wing MP Mohamed Brahmi, who led the small Popular Movement party. The unrest peaked within days after eight soldiers were found brutally killed by militants near the Algerian border.

Brahmi's death was the second political assassination in Tunisia following the killing of the prominent opposition politician, Chokri Belaid, outside his house in February.

Government opponents blame the Ennahda-led coalition government for failing to counter the militants behind the killings.

The Ennahda leader, however, has dismissed the accusation and noted that the government had arrested hundreds of terrorist suspects, without giving further details.