TUNIS: Tunisia’s secular opposition, angered by two assassinations in its ranks and emboldened by the overthrow of Egypt’s president, said on Sunday it was considering setting up an alternative “salvation government” to challenge the Ennahda-led leadership.
If agreed, the move would mark a significant escalation by the country’s opposition groups, who say they have no interest in reconciliation with the ruling party.
“We will meet this evening to discuss creating a new salvation government and will study the possibility of nominating a new prime minister to replace this failed government,” said Jilani Hammami, a leader of the Salvation Front coalition and Tunisian Workers’ Party.
“There is no longer any doubt that the time for it to go has passed.”
Critics of the Tunisian opposition say the campaign is threatening stability during a fragile transition process. The speaker of Parliament said on Saturday the government was discussing a new power-sharing deal and urged lawmakers withdrawing from the transitional Constituent Assembly to reconsider.
“It’s not rational to throw in the towel just meters away from the finish line,” Mustafa Ben Jaafar said in a televised speech.
‘Salvation govt’ eyed in Tunisia
