BEN ALI QUITS, Ghannouchi interim-president

The first popular revolt in an Arab country for as long as one can remember has succeeded: president Zein Al-Abedine Ben-Ali of Tunisia has stepped down and left the country. It seems he flew to Paris.
Fouad Mebazaâ, president of the parliament, who according to the constitution was the one to take over, refused. In his place Mohammed Ghannouchi (picture), prime minister and member of the governing party, The Rassemblement Constitutionel Democratique (RCD), has taken over as interim president. Ghannouchi has the reputation to be a respected, somewhat colourless tecnocrat. He has promised top uphold the constitution.  

The people of Tunisia deserve our respect and our congratulations. This part of the struggle has been succesful. What remains to be done is to consolidate it and to turn Tunisia into the first Arabic democracy in the region. At this moment nobody  knows what is going to happen. But hopefully the next stage will  be free elections .... 
(Will be updated).