Kerry hails ‘historic’ Tunisian vote

Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday congratulated the Tunisian people for the North African country’s “historic” presidential election.

Kerry said in a statement said the vote came about “due to the strong commitment by Tunisians from across the political spectrum to democracy and the rule of law.”

{mosads}Béji Caïd Essebsi’s party claimed he was ahead in Sunday’s election, the final step toward democracy after a 2011 revolution, by at least 10 percentage points, according to Reuters.

“With a continued emphasis on political and social cooperation and consensus-building, Tunisia’s democratic path will remain an inspiration to all those in the region and around the world who are working to build the foundation for an inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous future.” Kerry said.

Kerry said the Obama administration will continue to provide economic and security assistance to Tunisia.

“We look forward to the successful conclusion of Tunisia’s presidential election process by the end of this year and are committed to working with the democratically-elected government that will lead the country in the years ahead,” he said.

White House national security adviser Susan Rice tweeted that the vote was “testament to the power of consensual, inclusive politics.”

—This report was updated at 4:38 p.m.