Tunisia's ruling Ennahda party on Thursday rejected plans by Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali to appoint a government of technocrats to run the country, a decision that came in the wake of the assassination of opposition politician Chokri Belaid.
"The country still needs a government that includes political figures," Ennahda coordinator Abdelhamid Jelassi told Shems radio after a meeting of the party's executive committee.
On Wednesday evening, Jebali announced he would dissolve the ruling tripartite coalition and form a non-political "government of national competencies " to govern until elections.
The move was seen as an attempt to defuse tensions following Belaid's killing, which the opposition have blamed on Ennahda.
But Jelassi said Jebali, who is the party's second-in-command, had not informed the party before making the announcement.
Ennahda's reaction, which was seen as reflecting the views of a conservative faction close to party leader Rachid Ghannouchi, could add to tensions in Tunisia, where the opposition have called for the government's immediate dissolution.
One of two smaller secular parties in coalition with Ennahda had earlier praised Jebali's announcement.
Mohamed Bennour, spokesman for Ettakatol, told Shems radio his party approved the "audacious and adequate" move.
Belaid's assassination Wednesday sent shockwaves through the small North African country, which was the first to oust an autocratic leader through street protests in 2011, but where political violence is rare.
Belaid was general secretary of the secular Democratic Patriots party and co-founder of the Popular Front coalition, the country's third-biggest political force.
The charismatic 48-year-old lawyer was one of the government's most vehement critics.
He was gunned down outside his home by an unknown attacker who fled the scene by motorbike.
The opposition accused the ruling Islamist party Ennahda of being responsible for the attack due to its failure to crack down on pro-government militias who have staged several attacks on opposition meetings in recent months.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Tunis and other towns calling on the government to "degage" - a French term meaning "get lost" that was used against ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
A policeman was killed in Tunis after being struck by a rock, the Interior Ministry said.
Further protests are expected Friday, when Belaid is laid to rest.
The Popular Front and three other opposition parties have called for a general strike. The strike was initially called for Thursday but has been delayed.
The parties also announced a boycott of the country's constituent assembly, which is running behind schedule on drafting a new constitution, under which elections are to be held.