Ex-minister Roopun is Mauritian president

Port Louis, December 2

Lawmakers in Mauritius today picked former arts and culture minister Pritivirajsing Roopun (61) as president of the island nation, a largely ceremonial post. His predecessor Ameenah Gurib-Fakim resigned in March 2018 after being embroiled in a scandal over her use of a credit card to buy luxury personal items. She denied wrongdoing. 

In Mauritius, the prime minister is head of the government and holds most political power while the President is head of the state but has no executive role and is considered the guardian of the Constitution. — AFP