Tunisia’s president who was elected in 2014, announced he will not be seeking the re-election, FT reported. The 92-year-old Beji Caid Essebsi said he does not intend to run comes days after Algeria’s leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika has resigned following mass demonstrations.
The 92-year-old Beji Caid Essebsi announced his plans to quit politics, Tunisian leader confessed his ruling Nidaa Tounes party someone younger should take charge. In 2014, the veteran politician was elected as a president following the ex-leader Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali was ousted in 2011 during the Arab Spring uprisings across the region. Mr Essebsi’s predecessor spent 23 years in presidential office, such a long period of ruling time is not the exclusion for the North African region.
On Monday, Mr Essebsi told the press he will not plan to stand in elections expected this November, despite calls for him to rule the country. After 2011 Arabian Spring, Tunisia has won praise as the only democracy to emerge from the revolutions.
However, in recent years the country has suffered attacks by Islamists and economic problems, with unemployment a persistent issue.
Mr Essebsi said he did not think he would put himself forward, saying it was time to “open the door to the youth”. For Tunisia’s president, the resignation of Algeria’s leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika became the reminder that it is time to quit. He also urged his party to end its feud with Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, who split from the government and formed his own party.
Presidential elections are scheduled for 17 November, although none of the main political parties has yet announced a candidate. Meanwhile, the Algerian street protesters have vowed not to stop until the entire Cabinet is ousted.
