President and PM resign from Tunisia's ruling party

Tunisia's president and prime minister have resigned from the ruling party, according to state TV.

The move is to meet demands of opposition politicians and union leaders, who have threatened to bring down the interim government unless they cut their ties with the former regime.

Earlier, the day-old government was shaken by the resignation of four ministers.

All were opponents of Ben Ali.

Junior Minister for Transportation and Equipment Anouar Ben Gueddour said that he had resigned along with Houssine Dimassi, the labour minister, and minister without portfolio Abdeljelil Bedoui.

The three are all members of a top labour union, the UGTT, which is not a party but is a movement that acts like a lobby and has a big nationwide base to mobilise people around the country.

The group’s supporters staged the protest in central Tunis today, calling for a general strike, constitutional changes and the release of all imprisoned union leaders.

Health Minister Mustapha Ben Jaafar of the FDLT opposition party also resigned.