( CNN ) It 's widely considered the only place in which seeds planted during the `` Arab Spring '' may have grown into the first sprouts of democracy . And now , Tunisia officially has a new president-elect . Long-time politician Beji Caid Essebsi won the country 's runoff with about 55 % of the vote , beating outgoing President Moncef Marzouki 's 44 % , state-run media reported Monday . It was a hard-fought race . On Sunday , despite earlier indications Essebsi had won , supporters of Marzouki rallied in downtown Tunis . Security forces responded to rock-throwing rioters by firing tear gas to quickly disperse the crowds , state-run media reported . As a candidate , Essebsi promised to restore the state 's prestige after the chaotic years since the 2011 revolution , when the country 's dictator , President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali , was ousted . But Marzouki warned that Essebsi would bring back authoritarian policies . Inside Ben Ali 's palace : Fake diplomas , sports cars , stuffed leopard . The fact that the elections -- considered legitimate -- took place at all is historic . The election process began in October with a vote for parliament . `` At a time when hopes of moving towards political reform and accountable governments elsewhere in the Arab world have been dashed , Tunisia is the only country where the aspirations of the Arab uprisings may yet be fulfilled in the near future , '' Anthony Dworkin of the European Council on Foreign Relations wrote at the time . On Saturday , The Economist declared Tunisia its `` country of the year . '' `` The idealism engendered by the Arab spring has mostly sunk in bloodshed and extremism , with a shining exception : Tunisia , '' the magazine wrote . `` ... Its economy is struggling and its polity is fragile ; but Tunisia 's pragmatism and moderation have nurtured hope in a wretched region and a troubled world . Mabrouk , Tunisia ! '' ( `` Mabrouk '' is a way of saying `` congratulations '' in Arabic . ) Fast Facts : Tunisia . The revolutions that spread throughout the Arab world began in Tunisia when a poor 26-year-old who could not find a job had a run-in with police and then set himself on fire in front of a government building in December 2010 . CNN 's Margot Haddad , Salma Abdelaziz and Kay Guerrero contributed to this report .
Beji Caid Essebsi 's historic elections are the sole point of hope for Economist democracy , analysts say . The Arab names Tunisia `` country of the year '' Long-time politician Tunisia beats outgoing President Beji Caid Essebsi .