Obama Congratulates 88-Year-old New Tunisia President

Posted by African Examiner African News, Latest Headlines Tuesday, December 23rd, 2014

Oyewale Oyelola, United States President, Barack Obama has congratulated 88-yeae-old, Beji Caid Essebsi Essebsi on his election as the new Tunisia President.

Obama in a statement issued by US embassy in Tunis urged Essebsi to run all inclusive government.

The statement readS in part; “The strong commitment by Tunisia’s leaders and the Tunisian people to inclusive political dialogue, consensus-building, and democratic values has been crucial to the success of the political transition and will be equally important during the next phase”.

An 88-year-old political veteran has been elected president of Tunisia, a country whose young people once electrified the world by overthrowing its 73-year-old dictator in 2011 and triggering the Arab Spring uprisings across the region.

The election result is a measure of Tunisia’s yearning for a return to stability: After four hard years of democratic transition, violence and economic crises this one-time revolution of the youth has turned to a symbol of the old regime.

Beji Caid Essebsi polled 55.68 percent of the vote according to official results released by Tunisia Electoral body on Monday.

Essebsi defeated the human rights activist who became the interim president after the revolution; Moncef Marzouki polled 44.32 percent of the total vote cast during Sunday run off election.