Tunisia Government FALLS: Killings of politician Causes Government to Fall

Killings of politician Causes  the government of Tunisia to Fall

I've decided to form a government of competent citizens with no political party affiliation. Government given a limited mandate to govern Tunisia from day to day until the new elections as soon as possible, Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali in a television speech on Wednesday evening.

Party leader and government critic

Opposition politician Chokri Belaid was shot and killed Wednesday morning.

The decision was caused by the murder of opposition politician Chokri Belaid outside his home in Tunis Wednesday morning.

Two men on a motorbike drove past when Belaid left the house. One of them shot him.

The assassination led to strong protests. Party offices Ennhada were burned in several cities. Police had to use tear gas and batons against protesters outside the Interior Ministry in central Tunis where they built barricades and threw stones at police.

The protesters demanded the departure of the interior minister.

International concern

The Prime Minister represents the moderate Islamist party Ennhada is Tunisia's largest. The party has repudiated the murder, and have assured that they have nothing to do with the shooting.

Belaid led the leftist non-religious party grouping Popular Front, and has long been a strong critic of Ennhada. The Popular Front and other opposition groups have withdrawn their representatives from the National Assembly after the murder.

Both the opposition and the governments of the Western countries have in the past clearly expressed concern over the growing influence of radical Islamists have gained over policy in Tunisia.