The Constitutional Court of fixed Tnez elections must be held in 60 days

With astonishing speed and with hardly any shock in the form of looting at night, Tunisia gives today the first steps toward a democratic transition after the popular revolt that has claimed 23 years of dictatorship. The previous president, Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, was "definitely" out of power this morning by the Constitutional Court has stressed that the North African country is in a situation of "power vacuum." According to official news agency TAP reported, the high court has decided that elections must be held within 60 days and that, meanwhile, as marking the country's constitution, the interim president will Feud Mebazaa, current president of parliament, and not Mohamed Ghannouchi.

For his part, Prime Minister Ghannouchi, who yesterday temporarily assumed power after the departure of Ben Ali, must return to his post by the judges estimated. The dictator is from a refugee in Saudi Arabia last night after being rejected in France. For now, Ghannouchi, said last night that today would initiate contacts to form a government, has not yet reacted to the decision of the judges.

"Tomorrow will be a decisive day," forward Ghannouchi telephone told a private television in your country. "I will meet with representatives of political parties to form a government which I hope will meet expectations," he added. Ghannouchi had said hours earlier in the message to the nation in which he confirmed his status as interim president, would remain in office until the next election.

The new president also stressed that respect the Constitution and restore stability. The Tunisians have risen with the country now relatively calm after spending a sleepless night, during which shots could be heard isolated from the pillage and plunder, despite the curfew. According to inhabitants of the capital contacted by telephone by the country, there are long queues at petrol stations and a major radio stations urged people to reopen the business as the country back to normal.

The Army, until recently virtually absent and has not participated in the repression of the protests, has taken to the streets of the capital with tanks and helicopters, and ensuring safety. Faced with the Tunisian system is now a political landscape fraught with unknowns and risks. Tunisia is a country with no organized opposition, laminated for years of harsh repression.

Mustapha Benjaafar, leader of the opposition Democratic Forum for Labour and Freedoms, asserted in this newspaper on Tuesday: "It is possible that Ben Ali is overthrown, but the people are out of play and also political actors." The work ahead is enormous. Ahmed Brahim, head of Ettajdid, another opposition party, proposed a "national conference on political reform." Najib Chebbi, the first leader of the Popular Democratic Party, the third party was facing from the law to Ben Ali, said yesterday after the fall of President known: "We are at a crucial time.

A regime change is under way that should lead to major reforms for the people to choose. " Apart from political vicissitudes, the overwhelming question. What role has the Army and how to act in the immediate future? It is clear that the Armed Forces have refused to participate in repression, but whether the danger of division suffered during the revolt.

What will happen to the elite affects the regime? Does the committee convened to investigate corruption claims the opposition? A private television station reported last night that some relatives of Ben Ali had been arrested. Will they continue the protests? No shortage of those who do not trust.

Yet few Arab countries are as prepared as it is Tunisia for a new democratic political system to emerge. Secularism prevails, Islamist movements were crushed thoroughly by Ben Ali, has a negligible middle of a pretty decent education system, economic system very different sectors and very connected to Europe, and elites intellectual consistency.

• Recap: FIJA Literature Distribution (19/07/2010)
• View from America: We must protect the jury system (22/11/2010)
• Prison chiefs refuse to name escaped inmates 'in case they go into hiding' (11/01/2011)
• Q & A with Bella Circo makeup artist Jessica deBen (07/12/2010)
• Santa Librada Group : Paraguay (23/12/2010)