Tunisia's ruling coalition, led by the Islamist Ennahdha movement, has said it had agreed to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on June 23 with the president being chosen directly by voters. The coalition's agreement early on Sunday on a date for elections and the establishment of an amended parliamentary system come after widespread criticism from the opposition that Ennahdha wants to control the government and avoid elections.

The faculty of Human and Social Sciences at the University of Tunis closed on Thursday last week and suspended classes for three days after violent confrontations broke out between Islamist and leftist students, causing considerable damage to classrooms and facilities – and promising a difficult academic year to come. The incident at the institution’s oldest faculty revived memories of a long history of clashes at the University of Tunis between leftists and Islamists.

Tunisian civil society is rallying in support of a young woman who was raped by police officers in what they say is part of a broader assault on women's rights by religious conservatives. There is widespread outrage after 27-year-old victim was summoned by the investigating judge on Wednesday to face chargers of 'indecency' from the two men accused of raping her, in what many argue is an attempt by the authorities to intimidate her.