IN RESPONSE to the protests that had been racking his country for the past several weeks, Tunisia's president of 23 years, Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali, took to the airwaves on Thursday night to promise sweeping reforms, including his own pledge to leave office by 2014. In the event, his exit came much sooner. By Friday evening Mr Ben Ali had fled the country, his last-ditch attempt at conciliation having failed to satisfy protesters fed up with chronic unemployment, police brutality and government corruption.

Mr Ben Ali's prime minister, Mohammed Ghannouchi, initially declared himself in charge of the country, but protesters immediately called for his ouster. Mr Ghannouchi had earned the nickname "Mr Oui-Oui" for his subservience to Mr Ben Ali. On Saturday morning, in compliance with the constitution, he handed power to the speaker of the Tunisian Parliament, Fouad Mebazaa. Mr Mebazaa is expected to hold elections within 60 days.

Uncertainty now hangs over the capital city of Tunis, where soldiers and tanks patrol the streets. A day earlier, tens of thousands of protesters gathered following the promise of a cease-fire by the president. But they were met with bullets and tear gas. In his last desperate acts as president, Mr Ben Ali dismissed his cabinet, called for early legislative elections and declared a state of emergency, banning gatherings of more than three people. But the army demurred, refusing to engage the protesters. Having lost the means to continue his iron-fisted rule, Mr Ben Ali, along with aides and relatives, fled by plane to Saudi Arabia.

His departure has left a power vacuum. The four-week-old protest movement has no clear leader, and there is no significant opposition in the parliament, which is dominated by Mr Ben Ali's lackeys. Perhaps most importantly, the military, led by General Rachid Ammar, has not yet declared its intentions.

Meanwhile, looting and rioting continued on Saturday and gunfire could be heard throughout the capital.

Friday's events mark the first time in recent memory that popular protests have felled a leader in the Arab world, giving hope to others in the region who share many of the same grievances. But the celebration in Tunisia has been muted. It is unclear whether Tunisians will accept the interim leadership of Mr Mebazaa, or whether the protests and chaos will continue. The revolution that toppled Mr Ben Ali may not be over yet.

(Photo credit: AFP)