Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi said it would temporarily take over power from President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

The announcement of resignation was delivered by Ghannouchi through the state TV channel.

It said that President Ben Ali for the time being unable to carry out their duties.



"Because the president temporarily unable to perform his duties, has been decided that the prime minister for the time-tuags will carry out their duties."

Ghannouchi, 69, a former finance minister before becoming prime minister in 1999.

Is still unknown but the presence of Ben Ali's two Arab TV channels said he had left Tunisia although the report could not be confirmed.

The resignation was announced shortly after the declaration of emergency and dissolution of the cabinet and parliament.

Parliamentary elections will be held within six months.

President Ben Ali, in a statement broadcast on national TV channel on Thursday (13/01) - promise not to run for election again in 2014.

Ben Ali, 74, is Tunisia's second president since independence from France in 1956.

He started to become president since 1987 and in 2009 elections returned to power by winning about 90% of the vote.

However krebilitasnya collapsed since the protests that took place during recent weeks to oppose rising food prices, corruption and unemployment.