His Prime Minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi announced a national unity government that includes three opposition leaders and members of the old regime but this only fuelled the revolutionary fires. The looting and protesting did not stop as calls for the removal of all figures associated with Ben Ali mounted. Thus all who 'eat' with a despot in other African countries should be warned that when revolutions bring the tyrant down, such persons and their families will face the wrath of the people.
In Tunisia it is now public knowledge that government will hold elections in six months, free political prisoners, lift restrictions on all political parties and civil society organisations and create special commissions to pursue political reform, investigate the violent actions of the former regime and fight corruption. The unthinkable has happened after 23 years. Not just 23 years. Within that period Ben Ali had been winning in five successive elections.
