Ghannouchi heads new administration in Tunisia

Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi is to stay on as head of Tunisia's new national unity government announced on Monday, which includes three opposition leaders and abolishes the information ministry.

Reuters/Tunis TV via Reuters TV

Ghannouchi joins Foreign Minister Kamel Morjane and four other ministers in the new government who all served under former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The transitional national unity government will prepare a general election after Tunisia's veteran leader fled on Friday in the face of widespread protests. Ghannouchi said the election would take place within six months.

The transitional authority also confirmed that 78 people were killed during the turmoil that saw Ben Ali ousted. 

Interior Minister Ahmed Friaa added that the upheaval had cost an estimated 1.6 billion euros, with two-thirds of the losses being put down to the disruption of economic activity.