Tunisia's Islamist-led coalition government has raised the prospects of a referendum to resolve the country's worst political crisis since the revolution that ousted former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, according to reports from the Arabic networks, Naharnet and PressTV.

In an interview, the ruling Ennahda party leader Rachid Ghannouchi told a Belgian daily, Le Soir: "We are looking into the idea of a referendum as an alternative solution to the crisis", but rejected opposition calls for the departure of the government and the dissolution of the National Constituent Assembly.

Tunisia has witnessed regular protests since the deadly shooting in July of a left-wing MP, Mohamed Brahmi, which some members of the opposition have accused the government of orchestrating. Brahmi was the second opposition politician to be murdered in six months. Another, Chokri Belaid, was assassinated in February. The government has blamed Salafists for both killings.

In an apparent reference to Saturday's rival demonstration by supporters of the regime - which the government claims attracted some 200,000 people - Ghannouchi told Le Soir that there were two "streets" in Tunisia, an allusion to pro and anti-government supporters.

According to al-Jazeera, a coalition of opposition parties has called for a rally on Tuesday to press for their demand that the government be
dissolved and a new assembly be formed.