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Daily News Analysis

Tunisian Prime Minister forced to resign after weeks of protests

Crescent International

London-Crescent-online
February 27, 2011 - 2000 DST

Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has been forced out of office in the face of determined demands of protesters. Ghannouchi announced his resignation at a press conference in Tunis after a long rambling speech on television extolling his virtues and his record in government.

Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has been forced out of office in the face of determined demands of protesters. Ghannouchi announced his resignation at a press conference in Tunis after a long rambling speech on television extolling his virtues and his record in government.

Ghannouchi who had serve the ousted dictator, General Zine el-Abdine Ben Ali since 1989, was an important pillar of the old regime. He together with Mohamed Mabezza, the parliamentary speaker when Ben Ali fled the country on January 14, took reins of government and attempted to maintain the status quo even while claiming to bring about change in line with the wishes of the people. Mabezza currently serves as president.

The people were not taken in by such promises. They continued to demand Ghannouchi's ouster because he was seen as too close to the ousted dictator and symbol of the hated regime. Ghannounchi was replaced by 84-year-old Beji Caid-Essebsi who had served as foreign minister under the late President Habib Bourguiba, the first "president-for-life" of Tunisia. Bourguiba was ousted by Ben Ali in a coup in 1987.

Before Ghannouchi's resignation on Sunday, police in Tunis fired tear gas and warning shots to disperse the latest protests calling for a new government and a new constitution on a third day of a brutal crackdown. Over the previous two days, protesters in huge numbers held rallies demanding Ghannouchi's resignation. Riot police fired bullets killing at least three persons in Tunis on February 26.

Ghannouchi's resignation led to people taking to the streets in celebrations, chanting and singing.

The interim Tunisian government that took over from Ben Ali, insisted it was introducing reforms and that it would hold elections by July but the people were not prepared to accept such promises while hated figures of the former regime still occupied important posts.

The ousted dictator Ben Ali is reported to be in a coma in a Jeddah hospital after suffering a stroke. He had fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14 when the Tunisian army chief, General Rachid Ammar refused to order troops to fire on protesters.

Tunisians rose up in revolt overcoming decades of fear when an unemployed university graduate, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire on December 17, 2010. He was publicly humiliated by a police officer in the town of Sidi Bouzid where he sold vegetables because he was unable find work. He died of his burns on January 4, 2011 but by then he had set not only Tunisia but also much of the Middle East aflame.

Ben Ali's ouster in Tunisia was followed by Hosni Mubarak of Egypt on February 11 after 18 days of protests. Currently Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi is facing the wrath of the people that started on February 17 and are ongoing despite thousands of deaths in the country. Qaddafi has vowed to fight to the bitter end sparking fears a civil war may break out in Libya.

END


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