Soldiers stand guard next to their tank in the center of Tunis, Sunday, Jan. 16. 2011. Tunisia sped toward a new future after its iron-fisted leader fled, with an interim president sworn in and ordering the country's first multiparty government to be formed. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
A man walks in the looted house of Mouez Trabelsi, the nephew of the former President's wife, Leila Ben Ali, in Marsa 20 kms (12.5mls) north of Tunis, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011. Tunisians cheering a new era after the authoritarian president fled the country are especially overjoyed at the prospect of life without his wife and her family _ widely despised as the ultimate symbol of corruption and excess. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)
A torn banner of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is seen in the center of Tunis, Sunday, Jan. 16.2011. Tunisia sped toward a new future after its iron-fisted leader fled, with an interim president sworn in and ordering the country's first multiparty government to be formed. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
PARIS - JANUARY 15: A Tunisian expatriate shouts slogans while holding a mock coffins to symbolize the people killed in Tunisia during the recent uprising as they demonstrate on January 15, 2011 in Paris, France. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia's president for over 23 years, left for Saudi Arabia yesterday amidst growing civil unrest and violent protests, and the speaker of parliament, Fouad Mebazaa was sworn in as interim president. (Photo by Franck Prevel/Getty Images)
PARIS - JANUARY 15: Tunisian expatriates shout slogans while holding a Tunisian flag as they demonstrate on January 15, 2011 in Paris, France. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia's president for over 23 years, left for Saudi Arabia yesterday amidst growing civil unrest and violent protests, and the speaker of parliament, Fouad Mebazaa was sworn in as interim president. (Photo by Franck Prevel/Getty Images)
PARIS - JANUARY 15: Tunisian expatriates shout slogans while holding a Tunisian flag and a banner reading "Free secular Tunisia" as they demonstrate on January 15, 2011 in Paris, France. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia's president for over 23 years, left for Saudi Arabia yesterday amidst growing civil unrest and violent protests, and the speaker of parliament, Fouad Mebazaa was sworn in as interim president. (Photo by Franck Prevel/Getty Images)
PARIS - JANUARY 15: A Tunisian expatriate wears a Tunisian flag as she demonstrates on January 15, 2011 in Paris, France. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia's president for over 23 years, left for Saudi Arabia yesterday amidst growing civil unrest and violent protests, and the speaker of parliament, Fouad Mebazaa was sworn in as interim president. (Photo by Franck Prevel/Getty Images)
PARIS - JANUARY 15: Tunisian expatriot holds a placard reading "Long live Tunisia free" during a demonstration on January 15, 2011 in Paris, France. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia's president for over than 23 years, left for Saudi Arabia yesterday amidst growing civil unrest and violent protests, and the speaker of parliament, Fouad Mebazza was sworn in as caretaker president. (Photo by Franck Prevel/Getty Images)
PARIS - JANUARY 15: Tunisian expatriate holds placard reading 'Long live free Tunisia' and "Tunisian stand up, the World is proud of you" as they demonstrate on January 15, 2011 in Paris, France. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia's president for over 23 years, left for Saudi Arabia yesterday amidst growing civil unrest and violent protests, and the speaker of parliament, Fouad Mebazaa was sworn in as interim president. (Photo by Franck Prevel/Getty Images)
A soldier runs as gunfire echoes through the center of Tunis, Sunday, Jan. 16. 2011. Tunisia sped toward a new future after its iron-fisted leader fled, with an interim president sworn in and ordering the country's first multiparty government to be formed. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Demonstrators face police during clashes in Tunis, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. Tunisia's president declared a state of emergency and announced that he would fire his government as violent protests escalated Friday, with gunfire echoing in the North African country's usually calm capital and police lobbing tear gas at protesters.
A man walks in the looted house of Mouez Trabelsi, the nephew of the former President's wife, Leila Ben Ali, in Marsa, Tunisia (AP)
Soldiers stand guard next to their tank in the centre of Tunis (AP)
A column of smoke rises from buildings during clashes between protesters and police in Tunis, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. Tunisia's president declared a state of emergency and announced that he would fire his government as violent protests escalated Friday, with gunfire echoing in the North African country's usually calm capital and police lobbing tear gas at protesters.
A demonstrator runs as police use tear gas during clashes in Tunis, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. Tunisia's president declared a state of emergency and announced that he would fire his government as violent protests escalated Friday, with gunfire echoing in the North African country's usually calm capital and police lobbing tear gas at protesters.
A masked demonstrator holding a bar of metal in Regueb, Tunisia (AP)
A protester faces police officers as he chants slogans against President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia (AP)
Police officers detain a protestor during clashes in Tunis, Tunisia (AP)
Protesters chant slogans against President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali during a demonstration in Tunis, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. Thousands of angry demonstrators marched through Tunisia's capital Friday, demanding the resignation of the country's autocratic leader a day after he appeared on TV to try to stop deadly riots that have swept the North African nation.
Demonstrators throws stones at police during clashes in Tunis, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. Tunisia's president declared a state of emergency and announced that he would fire his government as violent protests escalated Friday, with gunfire echoing in the North African country's usually calm capital and police lobbing tear gas at protesters.
Riot police officers detain a protestor during clashes in Tunis, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. Tunisia's president declared a state of emergency and announced that he would fire his government as violent protests escalated Friday, with gunfire echoing in the North African country's usually calm capital and police lobbing tear gas at protesters.
A column of smoke rises from buildings during clashes between protesters and police in Tunis, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011.
18 January 2011
A new Tunisian government formed yesterday pledged the most wide-ranging reforms in the country's history to try to end anti-government violence which brought down the president.
Opposition politicians will join the government, parties banned under president Ben Ali will be |allowed to operate and repressive laws of the past will be swept away, said the Prime Minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, who will lead the administration.
The country's media will be unshackled and there were reports that a prominent iconoclastic blogger will be appointed the minister of youth and sport.
Despite the setting up of the “national unity” coalition, three days after the authoritarian ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali had fled into exile, there were fresh clashes in the streets with protesters refusing to accept members of the old regime remaining in power.
Police fired live rounds, tear gas and used water cannon to break up a demonstration by around 1,000 people insisting the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), Mr Ben Ali's party, should be banned from holding office.
The demonstrators warned that their campaign will continue, chanting: “We may die, but the |Republic will live.”
The new government said that more than 78 protesters and other civilians have died in the protests, which have swept the country for a month. Interior Minister Ahmed Friaa said 94 civilians have been injured. Members of the security forces have also been killed, but he did not say how many.
Many of those on the rallies yesterday were older and from professional backgrounds. Tuoufi Tawil, a mergers and acquisitions manager, said: “We now have the Third Republic and its principles are freedom, democracy and tolerance. The RCD does not believe in any of these.”
Some opposition political leaders also condemned the formation of the new government which will stay in charge until fresh elections are held in 60 days time.
Moncef Marzouki, of the centre-left Congress for the Republic, currently in exile in Paris, has announced that he will be a presidential candidate.
But, he said yesterday: “The new government is a farce. The three opposition parties have already functioned under the Ben Ali system and all the real forces that represent the country have been excluded. Under this system the interior ministry will remain under the Ben Ali people.”
Mr Ben Ali's appointees will stay in other major ministries, including defence, foreign and finance. However, Najib Chebbi, founder of the opposition Progressive Democratic Party, will become the Minister for Regional Development. Two other senior opposition members will also get the posts of higher education and health.
Sidi Amamou, a blogger with a strong youth following, is expected to lead a revamped youth and sport department and a new governor, Mustapha Kamel Nabli, will become the head of the country's central bank which, it has been reported, allowed Mr Ben Ali's wife, Leila Trabelsi, to withdraw 1.5 tons of gold from its reserves before fleeing with her husband.
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