Tunisia's ruling Ennahda party was to meet Sunday to finalize a response to plans by Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali to form a technocratic government following the murder of opposition
politician Chokri Belaid, media reports said.
The Islamist party's choura, its highest authority, was to set out the party line after Jebali announced he would replace the current Ennahda-dominated cabinet by the middle of next week, Mosaique radio reported.
Ennahda, which is in coalition with two small secular parties, has so far opposed the plan by Jebali, who is the party's secretary general.
A defiant Jebali, who represents party moderates, said Saturday he would resign if his efforts failed.
Under his plan, all the ministries, including the powerful interior and justice portfolios currently held by Ennahda, would be run by non-partisan experts until elections can be organized.
The plan has put him on a collision course with the conservative wing of the party, led by party leader Rachid Ghannouchi, who argues that Ennahda has a mandate to govern after winning elections in 2011.
That argument was taken up by thousands of party supporters at a rally in the capital Tunis on Saturday.
"The people still want Ennahda," the demonstrators chanted as they marched along the central Habib Bourguiba avenue, which has also been the focal point of anti-government protests over Belaid's killing.
Belaid, who was the coordinator of the Popular Front opposition coalition, was shot dead outside his home Wednesday by an unidentified gunman.
The 48-year-old lawyer had been a fierce critic of the ruling party.
The opposition has blamed Ennahda for his death - an accusation the party denies. More than 40,000 people attended his funeral Friday.