[Builds on and corrects some of my last post]
Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia, where he was granted asylum. French sources said that he was denied admission to France. France has ordered his family members that have been there to leave the country.
The head of parliament was asked by the "constitutional council" to act as president for the coming 60 days ,as per constitution stipulation. Apparently this annuls what the Prime Minister(First minister) has declared that he is the acting president; and considers Ben Ali thrown out. The head of parliament( acting president) took the oath of office in a televised ceremony, and asked the First minister! to form a unity government, so as to oversee the election of the new president, within the 60 days as stipulated by the constitution. After which early elections should be arranged as early as possible.
Tunisian intellectuals and opposition leaders are , rightfully, calling that none of the old regime members or allies be in charge of any transitional government. They consider the current constitution as unconstitutional. Their argument is that this fake constitution has been tailored to suit Burgiba, Ben Ali's predecessor who ruled as dictator for 25 years. I believe he made a special case of being elected for life. i.e until Ben Ali removed him, as he was on his death bed. Then Ben Ali kept amending and changing the constitution to suit him and his close click. So many are asking dissolving all current institutions and forming a government of leaders of opposition parties excluding the Ben Ali's ruling party and all the legalized dummy opposition parties that Ben Ali has created as decoys, to make the scene look democratic.
Yet it seems that the situation was less violent than previous days, giving the impression that this card trick is being condoned by the people who are already celebrating.
I remember having read a Lenin quote where he rightfully says something to the effect: Remember.. Once you start an uprising, you better stick with it till the very end.
To clarify as best I can for people who are confused or want to be confused (lots of them on Twitter): People drove out Dictator/President. One of his drones, the Prime Minister, tried an unconstitutional move to go in temporarily as President on behalf of Dictator/President (this left open the possibility that Dictator/President could come back). That was rejected today by the Constitutional Council. That's good. Now parliament speaker is in as head for 60 day max as per Constitution. This doesn't mean the Constitution can't be chucked a some point. But it should be by the will of the people and not apparatchiks. Names should be taken of people who accepted the PM's power grab. For people in the US -- it's like Al Haig saying "I'm in charge." If folks are not already, might want to follow me onTwitter.
My Dad's reading is vindicated (a few U.S.-based analysts questioned it):
VOA: Tunisia's Constitutional Council says the departure of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is permanent and parliament speaker Foued Mebezza is temporarily assuming power in the North African country. The council, Tunisia's highest legal authority on constitutional issues, says the country's new leader has 60 days to organize a presidential election. ...
Re: debate on causes of Tunisian revolt:
New York Times from February 20, 1991:
AMHERST, Mass., Feb. 19 — The vigil began here barely an hour after a man carrying a cardboard peace sign strode to the center of the town common on Monday afternoon, doused himself with paint thinner and perished in a plume of fire seconds after striking a match.
All day and all night in a snow that turned to freezing drizzle, people laid flowers, fruit and candles where the man died, and hundreds of students and townspeople turned out for a memorial service on the common this afternoon, even before the police had released the victim's name.
The public self-immolation of 30-year-old Gregory D. Levey, the third American known to have burned himself to death in apparent protest of United States policy in the Persian Gulf, would probably produce pity and bewilderment anywhere else. But here in a university town that has been a focal point for antiwar activities and other protests, it generated instant martyrdom. [more]
[From about 1 hour ago] Just announced from Tunis Television. First minister of Ben Ali's cabinet declared: Because Ben Ali is unable to discharge his responsibilities TEMPORARILY, I am taking over and I promise to implement all promised reforms with the help of all parties and factions. It is rumored that he left to Malta.
Evidently this is a last attempt of a broken dictator to give himself leeway to re attempt a comeback as he did not actually abdicate!!
If the opposition takes this bait then it will be the stupidest there is.