Tunisian President Flees Country, Government Declares National State of Emergency

Local Editor

Following days and days of protests and demands of him to step down, Tunisian President Zein El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country on Friday, while the country's Prime Minister will assume the presidency's responsibilities.

In an official statement, President Ben Ali said he had dismissed the government and would hold elections in six months' time. Now Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has been tasked with forming a new government. Ghannouchi called on the Tunisians asking them to unite together.

Tens of protests took place in which Tunisians called for President Ben Ali to step down. The opposition forces in the country described it as a historic victory that put an end to tens of years in which Ben Ali had the absolute authority in the country. Ben Ali had been in authority since 1987.

The Tunisian government said it had declared a national state of emergency, banning public gatherings and authorizing security forces to fire on anyone refusing to obey orders. Meanwhile, the army took control of Tunisia's main international Tunis Carthage airport Friday and the country's airspace was shut down.
On Thursday, Ben Ali delivered a speech in which he vowed that he would stand down in 2014 and prices of basic foodstuffs would be cut, without being able to end the protests against his rule.

Right after the speech, dozens of demonstrators gathered and shouted slogans against the Tunisian president, vowing that the uprising will continue.
This comes after nearly a month of riots that initially focused on unemployment, sparked by the suicide of a young graduate who set himself alight.