Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi has died at the age of 92, just a few months before his term was slated to end. He served as the country’s first democratically elected head of state following democratic upheavals of the Arab Spring, which ousted President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali after his 23 years in office. Under the country’s constitution, the Parliament has 90 days to organize a presidential election. As such, the original election date of 17 November will have to be brought forward and polls will be held before 23 October. Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Ennaceur, of the ruling Nidaa Tounes party has been sworn in as Interim President.
