Tunisia’s ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was officially replaced on Saturday as the speaker of parliament named as his interim successor by the Constitutional Council. The council declared the head of state had “definitively” left power and appointed Foued Mebezza acting president under the constitution in a communiqué published by the official news agency TAP.
The council made its ruling at the request of Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi.
Ben Ali signed a decree handing Ghannouchi interim presidential powers before leaving Tunis.
The council on Saturday based its ruling under article 57 of the constitution, declaring a “definitive” vacation of the presidency.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the properties of relatives of the former president in Carthage saw acts of violence and vandalism.
