Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi promised late Friday to organize the country's first democratic election since independence from France in 1956. He also vowed tostep down after the election.
Ghannouchi said in an interview with Tunisian television: "After the transition, I will retire from political life,” AFP quoted him as saying. He also promised to organize "transparent and democratic elections — the first since independence."
Earlier on Friday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Interior Ministry in Tunis to demand the dissolution of the new government. The demonstration was held on the first day of a three-day national mourning period for those who were killed during the weeks of protests in the country.
