Tunisian demonstrators wave their national flag and shout slogans during a protest against the country's Islamist-led government in front of the Constituent Assembly headquarters in Tunis on 13 August 2013. (Photo: AFP - Fethi Belaid)
Tens of thousands of secularists rallied in Tunis on Tuesday to call for the departure of the Islamist-led ruling coalition, but there were no reported clashes with another demonstration held by thousands of Islamists in the Tunisian capital.
"Go, Go al-Nahda ... the people want to bring down the regime," chanted the crowd of mainly female secularist protesters, in one of the largest opposition protests to be held in front of parliament in Bardo Square.
A few kilometers away, thousands of government supporters protested in support of Tunisia's Islamist rulers in Habib Bourguiba Avenue.
The rival demonstrations had raised fears of violent confrontation and a threat to the transition to democracy in Tunisia, birthplace of the 2011 Arab uprisings.
Beset by a severe economic downturn, a suspension of parliament and a surge in Muslim militant attacks, Tunisia's government is grappling with secular calls for its resignation.
The opposition is also angry over the assassination of two of its popular left-wing leaders, blamed on radical Islamists.
Tunisia is in the throes of its worst political turmoil since secular autocrat Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown in early 2011 in the first of the Arab uprisings.
Islamist militants killed eight Tunisian soldiers in an ambush last month and the government has responded with security force raids and air strikes on jihadi mountain redoubts.
Negotiations earlier this week between Tunisia's powerful union federation UGTT, which has good relations with opposition parties, and al-Nahda leader Rached Ghammouchi on a way out of the volatile impasse proved inconclusive.
Any serious UGTT participation in Tunisia's unrest could be decisive given the economic muscle of the 600,000-member labor group.
(Reuters)
"Go, Go al-Nahda ... the people want to bring down the regime," chanted the crowd of mainly female secularist protesters, in one of the largest opposition protests to be held in front of parliament in Bardo Square.
A few kilometers away, thousands of government supporters protested in support of Tunisia's Islamist rulers in Habib Bourguiba Avenue.
The rival demonstrations had raised fears of violent confrontation and a threat to the transition to democracy in Tunisia, birthplace of the 2011 Arab uprisings.
Beset by a severe economic downturn, a suspension of parliament and a surge in Muslim militant attacks, Tunisia's government is grappling with secular calls for its resignation.
The opposition is also angry over the assassination of two of its popular left-wing leaders, blamed on radical Islamists.
Tunisia is in the throes of its worst political turmoil since secular autocrat Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown in early 2011 in the first of the Arab uprisings.
Islamist militants killed eight Tunisian soldiers in an ambush last month and the government has responded with security force raids and air strikes on jihadi mountain redoubts.
Negotiations earlier this week between Tunisia's powerful union federation UGTT, which has good relations with opposition parties, and al-Nahda leader Rached Ghammouchi on a way out of the volatile impasse proved inconclusive.
Any serious UGTT participation in Tunisia's unrest could be decisive given the economic muscle of the 600,000-member labor group.
(Reuters)