"I dedicate my victory to the martyrs of Tunisia. I thank Marzouki, and now we should work together without excluding anyone," the 88 year-old Essebsi told local television.
Beji Caid Essebsi today emerged as the winner of Tunisia’s presidential elections after winning 55 percent of the electoral votes and beating his challenger and incumbent president, Moncef Marzouki, as reported by Reuters.
"I dedicate my victory to the martyrs of Tunisia. I thank Marzouki, and now we should work together without excluding anyone," the 88 year-old Essebsi told local television.
Sunday’s presidential election, which is regarded as the first democratic presidential elections ever held in Tunisia, was conducted with little disturbances amidst a turnout of 60 percent of eligible voters.
Incumbent President Moncef Marzouki, a 67 year-old human rights activist who was forced into exile under Ben Ali, struggled to excite his voter base despite being seen as having the backing of the powerful Islamist party, Ennahda.
Meanwhile, president-elect Essebsi appears to have successfully distanced himself from the Ben Ali regime despite having served as a senior minister in the now-deposed Ben Ali’s government. President Marzouki’s supporters had sought to equate an Essebsi victory as a return to the autocratic Ben Ali regime, but it appears a majority of Tunisian voters are more fearful of an Islamist led government under President Marzouki.
In 2011 Tunisia was the first country to experience the ‘Arab Spring’ revolts which saw the removal of long-time leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, thereby paving the way for the country to move towards a more democratic system of governance. Unlike Libya and Egypt, which experienced their own versions of uprisings which toppled long serving leaders amidst much violence, Tunisia has remained relatively peaceful.
Still, there is much tension and anticipation in the country as Tunisians attempts to forge a new chapter, albeit increasingly with members of a previously discarded administration.