Long-delayed Tunisia constitution to be put to vote

Tunisian lawmakers are to vote on Sunday on adopting a long-delayed new constitution, seen as crucial to getting the democratic transition back on track more than three years after the revolution.
Lawmakers completed their line-by-line scrutiny of the text late yesterday after three weeks of heated debate and disagreement on a range of subjects, including the role of Islam, women's rights, the independence of the judiciary and the president's powers.
The charter now needs the approval of two-thirds of the 217 assembly members to be adopted.
This would pave the way for the appointment of a caretaker cabinet of independents headed by premier designate Mehdi Jomaa and tasked with leading the country to parliamentary and presidential elections, scheduled to take place later this year

Karima Souid, information officer at the constituent assembly, said the plenary session was set for 9:00 am (1530 IST) on Sunday, after earlier indicating that the vote would take place tomorrow.
Instead, MPs will meet tomorrow afternoon to reform the rules of the censorship motion, making it harder to dismiss the new government, to which the ruling Islamist party Ennahda agreed to hand power, under a deal to end months of political deadlock.
Jomaa will also present his cabinet line-up to President Moncef Mazouki tomorrow, at 18:00 pm (2230 IST), with a vote of confidence in the technocrat government due to take place on Tuesday, according to Ennahda, which holds the largest share of seats in the assembly.