Photo Credit: Reuters/Zoubeir Souissi
(Reuters) – Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki on Friday asked Interior Minister Ali Larayedh, a hardliner from the main Islamist Ennahda party, to form a government within two weeks, his spokesman said.
Marzouki’s spokesman told a news conference Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi had formally nominated Larayedh to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, who resigned on Tuesday.
Tunisia plunged into political crisis on February 6 when the assassination of secular opposition politician Chokri Belaid on February 6 ignited the biggest street protests since the overthrow of strongman Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali two years ago.
Ennahda’s choice for prime minister raised hackles among opposition parties, some of whom accuse Larayedh’s Interior Ministry of failing to curb Islamist violence, although he is credited for acting firmly against al Qaeda-linked militants.
“The decision deepens the crisis because Larayedh headed the ministry responsible for the killing of Belaid and violence that has spread throughout the country,” said Zied Lakhdar, a leader in the Popular Front, in which Belaid was secretary-general.
The Interior Ministry and Ennahda have denied they had any hand in Belaid’s killing, which they have condemned.
Mahmoud Baroudi, a leader of the secular Democratic Alliance opposition party, said Larayedh’s appointment would aggravate tensions and increase anger in the streets.
“He was responsible for leniency with Islamist violence against human rights activists,” he said, blaming Islamists for disrupting opposition meetings and assassinating Belaid.
No one has claimed responsibility for Belaid’s killing.
Reuters has the full article
