Tunisian PM presents resignation to caretaker President

Tunisian Interim Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh said Thursday that he had submitted his resignation to Caretaker President Moncef Marzouki, in accordance with the provisions of the roadmap crafted by the Quartet sponsoring the national dialogue. President Marzouki is expected to officially task Mehdi Jomaa with forming a new cabinet, he added in a statement published by state media. Laarayedh said his resignation comes after various issues and achievements were resolved in the transitional period, including the completion of the new constitution and the completion of choosing members for the board elections authority. Laarayedh's announcement comes after the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) finished voting Wednesday night on the nine members who will make up Tunisia's board of elections, the body tasked with overseeing the country's next parliamentary and presidential polls. Finalizing the board's membership has paved the way for the next steps in Tunisia's current political 'roadmap' to be achieved. This plan, agreed to by major party leaders, calls for the constitution to be approved by next Tuesday and a new government to be approved by next Wednesday. Laarayedh's commitment to resign was necessary for this to occur. Of the nine members selected to the board yesterday, seven had previously been nominated to the board of elections before the administrative court annulled these nominations in November.