Days after a curfew was imposed in the capital Tunis amid continuing conflagrations, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali left the country.

Ben Ali's Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi briefly took over as acting president[5] before he handed power over to parliamentary speaker Fouad Mebazaa[6] after the head of Tunisia's Constitutional Court, Fethi Abdennadher, declared that Ghannouchi did not have the right to take power and Mebazaa would have 60 days to organise a new general election.

This led to the opposition accusing the government of overstaying their implicit term and also of using intimidation to try to silence dissent.

Ennahda, on the other hand, feared that some parts of the opposition were trying to keep it from regaining power and had been emboldened by the August 2013 Egyptian raids.

[13] The head of the Higher Political Reform Commission, Yadh Ben Achour, warned that Tunisia risked anarchy if the transitional period was not handled with care, as institutions and mechanisms of the state were either in disarray or still tainted by links to Ben Ali's regime.

We think that the National Constituent Assembly will complete the electoral code by October 23 at the latest so elections can be held on December 17."

This followed Education Minister Salem Labiadh submitting his resignation and calls by Ennahda ally Ettakatol to dissolve the government.

[30] Five candidates withdrew before the election: Abderraouf Ayadi, Abderrahim Zouari (throwing his support to Essebsi), Mohamed Hamdi, Noureddine Hached and Mustapha Kamel Nabli.

[31] The final list of presidential candidates included:[32] Following the assassination of Brahmi, protests continued in Tunisia by liberals.

Following Ennahda spokeswoman Yusra Ghannouchi telling Al Jazeera that the country did not want a repeat of "the Egyptian scenario," party MP Nejib Mrad released a statement on 13 August on Mutawassit TV stating the aforementioned.

"[34] Party leader Rachid Ghannouchi agreed to work with the Tunisian General Labour Union to find a compromise solution to the political impasse.

He said that this was "a starting point for national dialogue;" however he rejected calls for Ali Laarayedh's government to resign saying that "the coalition government will not resign and will continue its duties until national dialogue reaches a consensus agreement that guarantees the completion of the democratic transition and the organisation of free and fair elections.

"[35] The UGTT's leader, Hussein Abbassi, announced that an agreement had been reached between the ruling and opposition parties for the incumbent Prime Minister to resign at the end of 2013 and allow for an interim government, a new constitution to be written and a new election held.

[91] After the run-off polls closed on the night of 21 December 2014, Essebsi claimed victory on local television, and said that he dedicated his win to "the martyrs of Tunisia".

[95] In the capital Tunis, several hundred Essebsi supporters gathered around the Nidaa Tounes headquarters to celebrate his victory, waving national flags, singing and honking car horns.