Tunisia is bidding farewell to President Beji Caid Essebsi on Saturday with a state funeral.
Essebsi died on Thursday aged 92, after suffering from an illness.
He was prominent in the Tunisian political history after taking over as an elected president in 2014.
Essebsi came into office following the Arab uprisings across the region which forced former Tunisian President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali out of office in 2011 after 23 years in office.
He was first drafted in as premier after Ben Ali’s fall.
Essebsi in 2012 founded the secular Nidaa Tounes party which is now part of the governing coalition.
He was due to step down and not take part in elections due in November before his death.
Many world leaders Algerian President Abdelkader Ben Saleh, Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are participating in the state funeral.
After Essebsi’s death parliament speaker Mohamed Ennaceur was sworn in as interim president.
The electoral commission has now announced a presidential election for Sept. 15, two months earlier than scheduled. A parliamentary vote is set for Oct. 6.
Source: Africafeeds.com
