Tunis, Tunisia (CNN) -- Tunisia's prime minister announced Friday that he is the interim president of his country's embattled government, the latest development in a fast-moving story of unrest and public outrage in a tiny but significant corner of the Arab world.
Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi announced on Tunisian state TV that he has taken over the responsibilities of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali -- who has ruled the nation since 1987.
"Based on constitution law No. 56, if the president of the republic cannot fulfill his duties, there will be an interim decision to move his executive powers to the prime minister," he said.
"Considering the fact that at the current time he (Ben Ali) cannot fulfill his duties, I take over today, the powers of the president of the republic.
"And I urge all the sons and daughters of Tunisia, from all political and intellectual backgrounds, of every affiliation, to adhere to the true national spirit. So we can safeguard our nation that is so dear to us, in order to overcome this difficult phase and return security.
"I pledge to respect the constitution and will pay specific attention to and will carry out the political, economic and social reforms that been announced this week. And to consult with all national parties of all political affiliations and all populations for the best of the nation".
The development comes amid media reports that Ben Ali has left the country following outrage over poor living conditions and repression of rights. Protesters who have held daily demonstrations have denounced corruption in the Ben Ali government and urged that he leave office.
Earlier Friday, Ben Ali dissolved the government and declared a state of emergency, state TV reported. He also called for parliamentary elections within six months. The moves came days after the president dumped the interior minister and fired a couple of aides.
Ben Ali was reacting to instability ripping through the North African country. He announced concessions in a nationally televised address Thursday to meet some grievances.
Officials said the reason for the emergency declaration is to protect Tunisians and their private property. People are not allowed on the street from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Early Friday evening, the streets in the capital, Tunis, were quiet. The airport in Tunis is essentially under a lockdown, with the facility closed and ringed by soldiers.
As part of the emergency, people in gatherings of three or more will be arrested or, if they try to run away and can't be stopped, will be fired on.
Earlier Friday, police, wielding batons and firing tear gas, dispersed demonstrators, a show of force that aggravated a peaceful gathering in the capital.
Security forces were seen brutally beating protesters, and the demonstrators fled. Fires were seen in the center of Tunis and downtown, and smoke was coming from a couple of locations.
The incident underscored concerns among Tunisians and in the international community that security forces have been badly overreacting to peaceful gatherings of protesters.
Tunisia is a pro-Western state supportive of U.S. policy in the Middle East and in the battle against terrorism.
It has been a relatively stable and more prosperous country in what diplomats call "a rough neighborhood".
The education level in Tunisia is relatively high for the Arab world, and the country is closely linked to France and French culture.
U.S. State Department officials said Friday the Obama administration is closely monitoring the situation in Tunisia and is urging all parties to work together peacefully to resolve the political unrest.
"We are calling for calm," one official said. "Obviously the people have expressed concerns, and it is the responsibility of the government to work toward responding to the concerns of its people.
"Clearly there are divisions within society that need to be healed. ... We call on parties to come together for political dialogue".
The United States, France, and Britain have issued travel advisories, strongly warning against nonessential visits, and a tourism company announced the evacuation of 2,000 German vacationers.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the organization is closely monitoring the situation in Tunisia and has called for restraint, respect for freedom of expression and dialogue to resolve problems peacefully.
Earlier, thousands congregated in front of the Interior Ministry and chanted slogans such as "Get out!" and "Freedom for Tunisia!".
Haykal Maki, a pro-opposition lawyer who was in the throng, said protesters wanted a "regime change," the resignation of Ben Ali and lawsuits addressing the regime's corruption.
Recent diplomatic cables from the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia obtained by WikiLeaks reveal growing disquiet with the government -- and especially nepotism within the government.
WikiLeaks published a 2009 cable recounting a lavish dinner for the U.S. ambassador given by Ben Ali's son-in-law, Mohamed Sakher El Materi, a prominent businessman.
The ambassador wrote in the cable: "After dinner, he served ice cream and frozen yogurt he brought in by plane from Saint Tropez (a high-end French resort), along with blueberries and raspberries and fresh fruit and chocolate cake".
The wave of demonstrations in Tunisia -- in which people protested high unemployment, alleged corruption, rising prices and limitations on rights -- was sparked by the suicide of an unemployed college graduate, a man who torched himself in December after police confiscated his fruit cart, cutting off his source of income.
Ben Ali on Thursday vowed to cut prices of basic foodstuffs, to lift censorship and to ensure police do not use live ammunition except in self-defense, and he indicated that he would not run again for president.
There was no evidence that live ammunition was used in Tunis on Friday to disperse the crowd.
"Enough violence," Ben Ali said after at least 21 people had died in days of riots.
The 74-year-old president added that he would not push to change the law setting an age limit for presidential candidates in the next election, set for 2014.
By then, he would have exceeded the 75-year age limit. "There will not be presidency for life," he said.
Organized mainly by the country's lawyers' union and other unions, Friday's demonstration came under the watchful eye of a contingent of riot police officers.
But the protesters were not shy about slamming the government and Ben Ali. Demonstrators shouted, "Public trial for the president's family!" and "Yes to water and bread, but no to Ben Ali!".
Reem Ben Yousef, a 37-year-old university professor, told CNN the protesters say the ruling family has robbed citizens and they want them to depart from public life.
Reem said that Ben Ali's address was staged and he was cynical about the presence of a pro-government demonstration after his speech.
"We do not believe in Ben Ali and his regime," she said. CNN
