(VOVworld) - 88-year-old Beji Caid Essebsi of the Nidaa Tounes party declared victory in Tunisia’s presidential run-off vote. According to official results announced on Monday, Essebsi won 55.68% of the vote against 44.32% for his rival, incumbent president Moncef Marzouki.

Supporters of Beji Caid Essebsi wave his photos. (Photo: Reuters)

This is Tunisia’s first-ever direct election of a president since it gained independence from France in 1956. Essesbsi’s predecessors were Tunisia's founding father Habib Bourguiba and Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who held power from 1987 to 2011.