Tunisia PM refuses to resign, demands vote of confidence

Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid demanded on Wednesday holding a parliament session for a vote of confidence, a government official said, after President Beji Caid Essebsi has proposed recently to form a national unity government.

Essebsi's call is seen by some observers as an invitation for Essid to resign.

"A request was submitted today to the office of People's Representatives Assembly (ARP) that will set a date of the session within 15 days," director of the Communication Office of the Tunisian government Dhafer Neji told Xinhua.

Citing the 98 article of the Tunisian constitution, Essid, who took his office in February 2015, said in his request that he has the primacy to demand a vote of confidence.

Essid "refuses to voluntarily resign and he will not accept any compromise against the constitution," Neji said.

"We should pass by a legitimate and constitutional process," he added. Endit