Awwal 26, 1432 H/March 1, 2011, SPA -- Three Tunisian ministers resigned on Tuesday. The new resignations meant that in the space of 72 hours the prime minister and five ministers have now quit, the worst political crisis in Tunisia. Reuters cited a source close to the government as saying that the new prime minister, Beji Caid Sebsi, will this week announce the creation of a representative council whose job it will be to rewrite the constitution before new elections. That could relieve pressure on the government from its opponents but it was not clear if it would be enough for it to survive. The ministers who resigned on Tuesday included Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, the regional development minister, and Ahmed Brahim, the higher education minister. The third minister to resign was Elyes Jouini, who held the economic reform portfolio.
