Tunisian political parties reach a deal on PM

The head of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), Houcine Abbassi, announced on Thursday evening that the Tunisian political parties have reached a deal on who will become Tunisia’s interim prime minister, replacing Ali Laarayedh, a member of the ruling Islamist Ennahdha party.

Ennahdha and the opposition parties had met earlier with the four organisations that are sponsoring Tunisia’s national dialogue to name the new premiere, who will lead a caretaker administration until elections. The organisations are: the UGTT; the Tunisian Industry, Trade and Handicrafts Union; the National Bar Association; and the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights.

Following the meeting, Abbassi told reporters that: “There is an agreement, which will be presented tomorrow,” without further elaboration. The announcement comes only 24 hours in advance of the deadline set by Tunisia’s labour movement for political forces to name a new Prime Minister.

The new prime minister will replace Laarayedh, the sitting prime minister, who pledged to resign as soon as a new premiere was named in accordance with the national dialogue roadmap, established in order to lift the country out of the political turmoil that has escalated since the assassination of opposition parliamentarian Mohammed Brahmi on 25 July.