Tunisia president promises democracy to US’s Blinken

Tunisia's President Kais Saied on Thursday appointed a former national security adviser as interior minister, days after grabbing power in what his opponents labelled a "coup". The new appointee, Ridha Gharsallaoui, is also a top ranking former police official, local media reported. Tunisians are waiting for the appointment of a new prime minister and the announcement of a road map to emerge from the crisis. While the president's actions fuelled political turmoil, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that Saied had promised him he was committed to democracy. But Blinken also urged action, including the restoration of parliament, which the Tunisian president suspended on Sunday for 30 days as he seized all executive powers. The young democracy had often been cited as the sole success story of the Arab Spring.