Benji Essebsi emerges Tunisia's president

Benji Caid Essebsi, 88, has emerged the winner of Sunday's presidential runoff, cementing his dominance over a country where his party already controls Parliament.

He won the presidential runoff with 55.68 percent of the vote. Outgoing interim president Moncef Marzouki received 44.32 percent of the vote. Voting was largely pronounced free and fair with a participation rate of 60 percent, less than the nearly 70 percent in the previous round and legislative elections.

It will be recalled that in 2011 Tunisian youths overthrew its 73-year-old dictator, triggering the Arab Spring uprisings across the region.