Let's hope the new government will be a step in the right direction for the people of Tunisia. It's not obvious how it will be that much different as many of the new government are the same old faces. (A problem that we see all too often around the world.)
Tunisian politicians took their first practical step into the future today by creating an interim national unity government including opposition politicians, in an effort to quell continuing unrest following the ousting of the veteran Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali as president last week.Meanwhile protests involving self immolation are spreading in North Africa.
The government was dominated by old faces, with the serving ministers of defence, interior, finance and foreign affairs keeping their jobs alongside three newcomers taking part in what they hope will be a peaceful democratic transition via free elections that will serve as a model for other repressive Arab regimes.
"We are committed to intensifying our efforts to re-establish calm and peace in the hearts of all Tunisians," the prime minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, told a news conference in a still tense and occasionally violent capital. "Our priority is security, as well as political and economic reform." He named Najib Chebbi, founder of the opposition PDP party, as minister of regional development. Tunisian journalists complained, however, that Ghannouchi had refused to answer questions.
Yesterday there were reports that the family of the former president of Tunisia fled the country with 1.5 tons of gold. If that is the case, the international community needs to step up and correct that problem.
