Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Tunisia’s interim president named octogenarian former foreign minister al-Baji al-Sebsi as prime minister and appealed for an end to “chaos” after street protests left at least three people dead.
“We ask everyone for quiet,” Fouad Mebazaa said today in an address on state television.
Earlier in the day, interim Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi resigned, meeting a main demand of protesters. Ghannouchi had served as premier to ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and demonstrators had repeatedly called for his departure.
Al-Sebsi, who was born in 1926, served as foreign minister under late President Habib Bourguiba from 1981 until 1986, the year before Ben Ali became president.
European Union Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement that she hoped Ghannouchi’s resignation “will prevent any further tension and will allow the present transition phase to proceed in a peaceful and stable way.”
Mass protests forced Ben Ali to leave office on Jan. 14, inspiring a wave of unrest throughout the region that led to the Feb. 11 ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Three protesters were killed in clashes with security forces yesterday, the official Tunis Afrique Presse news agency said, citing the Interior Ministry. More than 3,000 protesters rallied in central Tunis on Feb. 20 to demand Ghannouchi’s resignation, TAP reported.
Serving the Revolution
“This resignation is a service to Tunisia’s revolution,” Ghannouchi said at a televised press conference today. “I am not prepared to be someone who makes decisions that result in victims.”
Salim Saadi, a 38-year-old civil servant who was among about 1,000 people staging a sit-in outside the Cabinet offices in Tunis today, said he was “happy that after nearly two weeks of protests we finally succeeded to force Ghannouchi to resign.” He said he wanted Ghannouchi’s entire cabinet quit.
Tunisian parties agreed Jan. 18 on an interim national unity government in which Ghannouchi retained his position as premier. The government included three opponents of the deposed president and aimed to move the nation toward a system of elected institutions.
Ghannouchi announced reform measures including the dissolution of the Communications Ministry, the release of all political prisoners and the formation of a committee to investigate corruption and abuse of power.
Tunisia’s benchmark Tunindex has declined some 11 percent since Ben Ali’s departure.
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“We ask everyone for quiet,” Fouad Mebazaa said today in an address on state television.
Earlier in the day, interim Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi resigned, meeting a main demand of protesters. Ghannouchi had served as premier to ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and demonstrators had repeatedly called for his departure.
Al-Sebsi, who was born in 1926, served as foreign minister under late President Habib Bourguiba from 1981 until 1986, the year before Ben Ali became president.
European Union Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement that she hoped Ghannouchi’s resignation “will prevent any further tension and will allow the present transition phase to proceed in a peaceful and stable way.”
Mass protests forced Ben Ali to leave office on Jan. 14, inspiring a wave of unrest throughout the region that led to the Feb. 11 ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Three protesters were killed in clashes with security forces yesterday, the official Tunis Afrique Presse news agency said, citing the Interior Ministry. More than 3,000 protesters rallied in central Tunis on Feb. 20 to demand Ghannouchi’s resignation, TAP reported.
Serving the Revolution
“This resignation is a service to Tunisia’s revolution,” Ghannouchi said at a televised press conference today. “I am not prepared to be someone who makes decisions that result in victims.”
Salim Saadi, a 38-year-old civil servant who was among about 1,000 people staging a sit-in outside the Cabinet offices in Tunis today, said he was “happy that after nearly two weeks of protests we finally succeeded to force Ghannouchi to resign.” He said he wanted Ghannouchi’s entire cabinet quit.
Tunisian parties agreed Jan. 18 on an interim national unity government in which Ghannouchi retained his position as premier. The government included three opponents of the deposed president and aimed to move the nation toward a system of elected institutions.
Ghannouchi announced reform measures including the dissolution of the Communications Ministry, the release of all political prisoners and the formation of a committee to investigate corruption and abuse of power.
Tunisia’s benchmark Tunindex has declined some 11 percent since Ben Ali’s departure.