Tunisia’s opposition bloc calls for forming national salvation gov’t

By Alaa Hammoudi

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) - Tunisia’s opposition National Salvation Front on Sunday called for the formation of a national salvation government to address the country’s economic and social problems.

“Economic and social crises are aggravating day by day and for the past year and a half, there were no signs that these problems are coming to an end,” Ahmed Najib Chebbi, head of the front, told a rally in the southern Tataouine province.

“The solution of these crises is basically political through the formation of a salvation government,” he added.

Chebbi accused Tunisian President Kais Saied of undermining the country’s democratic institutions.

“The government claims that an IMF deal will solve Tunisia’s problems, but this is not true,” he said.

Tunisia reached a preliminary agreement earlier this month with the IMF for a $1.9 billion rescue package that could be finalized in December.

The National Salvation Front consists of five parties: Ennahda Movement, Heart of Tunisia Party, the Dignity Coalition, the Movement Party and Al-Amal Party.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis that aggravated the country's economic conditions since last year, when Saied ousted the government and dissolved parliament.

While Saied insists that his measures were meant to "save" the country, critics have accused him of orchestrating a coup.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara