Tens of thousands of Tunisians marched in support of their embattled government on Saturday as opposition protesters renewed calls for the Islamist-led administration to step down.

Tens of thousands of Tunisians marched in support of their embattled government on Saturday as opposition protesters renewed calls for the Islamist-led administration to step down.

The ruling Ennahda party claimed that 200,000 people turned out for the mass rally in Kasbah square in the capital Tunis although police offered no turnout figures.

The crowd chanted slogans including "legitimacy", "the people want Ennahda" and "God is greatest" in support of the ruling party which organized the rally in response to growing calls for it to step aside.

Ennahda party leader Rashid Ghannouchi told the crowd: "Those who thought that the Egyptian scenario could be repeated here were all wrong."

"Tunisia was an inspiration with its revolution and it will not import a coup," said Ghannouchi, in reference to the Egyptian army's July 3 deposing of the country's president.

Meanwhile, several thousand opposition demonstrators also staged what has become a nightly rally, witnesses told Agence France Presse. The rallies passed off peacefully.

Tunisia has been gripped by a political crisis since the assassination in February of opposition politician Chokri Belaid.

The crisis was further stoked by the killing of MP Mohammad Brahmi, who was shot dead outside his home in a Tunis suburb on July 25.

At a news conference earlier Saturday, Prime Minister Ali Larayedh stressed the need for "national unity" and reiterated that his government would not step
down.