Tunisia’s ruling Islamists, who have agreed to make way for a caretaker government, see elections within six months to put the country’s transition back on track after months of unrest, a senior party official said yesterday.

Nearly three years after an uprising toppled President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, divisions between Islamists and the opposition over the political role of Islam have delayed a democratic process once seen as a model for the region.

Moderate Islamist party Ennahda and an opposition coalition agreed earlier this month for the government to step down to end a political deadlock, form a temporary caretaker administration and set a date for parliamentary and presidential elections.

Those negotiations are still delicate with little trust between the parties. Before Ennahda resigns, both sides must agree on finishing the new constitution and decide on the members of an electoral commission to oversee any vote.

“There is a preliminary agreement among the political parties to hold elections in six months after the installation of the election committee,” senior Ennahda official Ameur Larayedh told reporters. “There are some problems with the election commission composition, but we are working on that.”

The small North African country, whose 2011 uprising against Ben Ali inspired Arab revolts elsewhere, has been in crisis since Islamist militants assassinated an opposition leader in July.

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