Tunisia’s Constitutional Council has announced that ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who fled the country on Friday and arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia early on Saturday morning, has been officially removed from office and has appointed the speaker of parliament as the interim president.
On Saturday, the Constitutional Council declared that 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. Responding to Tunisians’ mounting demands for him to step down, Ben Ali fled the country late on Friday in a dramatic end to his 23 years in power.
Saudi Arabia welcomed Ben Ali and his family on Saturday, a day after they fled a mass uprising in their country. A statement issued by the Saudi monarchy said the decision to welcome Ben Ali was based on appreciation of the “exceptional circumstances” in Tunisia. “Out of concern for the exceptional circumstances facing the brotherly Tunisian people and in support of the security and stability of their country… the Saudi government has welcomed President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family to the kingdom,” the statement said.
Oh remember:
On this day 16th January 1979 the Shah of Iran fled into exile never to return to Iran. Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi and his wife, Empress Farah fled Tehran flying to Aswan in Egypt to escape violent protests against his rule. His youngest children were flown directly to to the United States. allvoices.com