Tunisia’s political parties have broken a months-old impasse in an attempt to speed up the country’s drawn out democratic transition.

Tunisia’s political parties have broken a months-old impasse in an attempt to speed up the country’s drawn out democratic transition.

They have signed an agreement to begin a dialogue to replace the current government and hold elections.

The current government would be replaced in three or four weeks by a technocrat body, which would supervise the new elections.

The deal also allows lawmakers to finish writing a new constitution, but is a blow to the moderate Islamist Ennahda Party, which has run Tunisia for almost two years.

Delegates began gathering Saturday for the launch of a hard-won dialogue between Tunisia's ruling Islamists and the opposition aimed at ending a protracted political crisis.

The crisis was sparked in July by the assassination of prominent MP Mohammad Brahmi, with the opposition accusing the Ennahda party of failing to curb extremists they say were behind the murder.

Delegates gathered at the Palais des Congres for a highly-symbolic ceremony, during which Ennahda must declare its willingness to resign and, along with the opposition, pledge allegiance to a roadmap on the country's political future.

Earlier this week, Ennahda and the secular opposition agreed on a blueprint for talks, also drafted by the main UGTT trade union and the employers' organization Utica.

The roadmap sets a three-week deadline to form a cabinet of independents to replace the Ennahda-led government, after the launch of a dialogue with opposition parties.
It also sets a four-week deadline for adopting a new electoral law.