Libya Picks First President

The newly democratized Libya just elected its first president: former opposition leader Mohammed Magarief. The national assembly voted the moderate Islamist into power Thursday. He will lead the 200-member congress in its duties of choosing a prime minister, passing laws, and drafting a constitution. Magarief was a leader of Libya’s longest-running opposition movement and had been living in exile since the 1980s. “I am very very happy. This is a big responsibility,” he said. Even his competitor was pleased with the election, saying, “This is democracy, this is what we have dreamt of.”