TUNIS - Tunisia's President Friday dismissed his entire government and is calling early legislative elections, his spokesman announced today, after days of bloody clashes between security forces and protesters. Gunshots rang out and police fired teargas to disperse protesters demanding the resignation of Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali on Friday after the worst unrest of his two decades in power. Around 8,000 people were demonstrating outside the interior ministry in Tunis chanting "Ben Ali, leave!" and "Ben Ali, assassin!", a Reuters reporter said. Crowds of youths who retreated a little way from the building started throwing stones at the police, who responded by firing more tear gas grenades. The rally came hours after the 74-year-old president announced in a television address that he would not seek a sixth term as expected in 2014, following a month of violent protests against unemployment, political repression and corruption. In power since 1987, Ben Ali made sweeping concessions on Thursday evening, saying security forces would no longer use live ammunition against protesters and promising freedom of the press and an end to Internet censorship. He also said the prices of sugar, milk and bread would be cut. Foreign Minister Kamel Morjane said Tunisia may form a national unity government and hold early parliamentary elections after what he called Ben Ali's "clear and sharp correction". For the Tunis protesters, it was not enough. "We don't want bread or anything else, we just want him to leave," they chanted. "After that we will eat whatever we have to."
