Tunisia’s interim government will on Wednesday announce the date of a national vote initially set for July 24 but which the electoral commission wants to postpone, a government spokesman said.
“The date of the election … will be announced tomorrow (Wednesday) after a government meeting with all the parties concerned,” Taieb Baccouche told journalists after a meeting of cabinet ministers on Tuesday. Baccouche declined to say whether the July 24 date is likely to be changed.
The vote for a national assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution will be the first in the north African country since the fall in January of the regime of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who was president for 23 years.
The government has been at loggerheads with the electoral commission, which has proposed delaying the vote until October 16, saying it needs more time to prepare a fair and transparent election.
Commission President Kamel Jendoubi said last week he would not exclude fixing “a new date”, possibly in September, as a compromise.
Most political parties support having the vote in July to ensure stability in the country.
Full Article: Tunisia set to announce election date Wednesday.
