TUNIS (REUTERS) - Tunisia's Prime Minister Ali Larayedh said on Monday the Islamist-led transitional government would continue working despite mounting efforts to dissolve it, and, for the first time, proposed a date for fresh elections later this year.

"The government will continue performing its duties and it will not abandon them, not because it is keen to hold power, and we will maintain our responsibilities until the final moment," he said in televised speech.

"We will focus on holding the elections by the end of this year and our date is Dec 17."