Inaugural session of the national Constituent Assembly

The inaugural session of the Constituent Assembly was opened on Tuesday morning at the premises of the former chamber of deputies by Caretaker President Foued Mebazaa. The ceremony was attended by Interim Prime Minister Béji Caïd Essebsi, the members of the transitional government and delegates of political parties, national authorities and organisations as well as national and international media. The constituent members started first singing the national anthem and then recited the opening verses of the koran. Then Caretaker President Mebazaa took the floor for an address in which he paid tribute to the martyrs of the Revolution and stressed that the elections had been successful and provided a ''popular legitimacy'' to the Constituent Assembly that entrusts it with the "responsibility of achieving the expectations of Tunisians ". "We are forging ahead toward a new stage '', he declared , affirming that Tunisia had managed to preserve itself "by means of a neutral and patriotic administration " and the devotion of government members, the army and security forces as well as the different authorities and committees set up since the revolution. The assembly works will start after the constituent members take the oath of office and will be chaired by the eldest member with the assistance of the two youngest.