TUNIS – Islamist Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali said Saturday that he will resign if his proposal to appoint a nonpolitical Cabinet by midweek is rejected.
Jebali first called for the change Wednesday after Tunisia was thrown into a crisis when a prominent opposition politician was shot and killed in Tunis, touching off violent protests.
The prime minister’s moderate Islamist Ennahda party has already rejected his proposal. But Jebali did not flinch, saying in an interview with the France-24 TV channel that to change the situation, government ministers must be replaced by candidates without a political affiliation, notably technocrats.
The Interior Ministry said 230 people have been arrested since Friday, the day respected opposition figure Chokri Belaid was buried. The slaying unleashed a wave of anger, and his funeral drew hundreds of thousands of mourners.