Islamists and the secular opposition in Tunisia planned street rallies in rival shows of strength on Tuesday, raising the risk of violence and threat to the democratic transition in the birthplace of the Arab Spring. Beset by a severe economic downturn, a suspension of parliament and a surge in Muslim militant attacks, Tunisia’s government led by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party is grappling with secular calls for its resignation. With polarization between Islamists and secularists festering, fears are rising of a Tunisian drift towards an “Egyptian scenario” in which a disgruntled secular opposition topples an elected Islamist-led government. Tunisian secularists planned a mass demonstration and march starting at 2 p.m. ET in the capital’s central Bab Sadoun district and leading to Bardo Square to demand the dissolution of the government and parliament. There were fears of violence because hundreds of pro-Ennahda Islamists have been camped out in Bardo for several weeks. The opposition is angry over the assassination of two of its leaders, blamed on radical Islamists, and emboldened by the Egyptian military’s removal of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last month after mass protests against his shambolic rule. For their part Islamists were set to rally along the central Habib Bourguiba Avenue, nominally to mark Tunisian Women’s Day but effectively to showcase popular support for Ennahda.
