Home > Zine El Abidine Ben Ali

Ben Ali was born in Hammam-Sousse . As a young man, and a member of a group representing the Neo-Destour party, he was sent to France for military training. He graduated from the Inter-Arms School of Saint-Cyr and the Artillery School in Châlons-sur-Marne, and then continued his military education in the United States.

Ben Ali was appointed to establish and manage the military security department in 1964, which he ran until 1974. He was promoted to director-general of the National Security in 1977 after serving as military attaché to Morocco. Ben Ali returned from four years as ambassador to Poland to become head of the National Security and then secretary of state. He assumed this post at a time of increasingly radical Islamic activity. For his success in dealing with this threat to the regime he was appointed interior minister, and retained this position when he was made prime minister under President Habib BourguibaHabib Bourguiba ( August 3, 1903 April 6, 2000) was the President of Tunisia from 1957 to 1987. He is likened to a Tunisian Kemal Ataturk because of the pro-Western reforms enacted during his administration. Born in Monastir, Bourguiba was installed as pr in October 1987.

Ben Ali deposed Habib BourguibaHabib Bourguiba ( August 3, 1903 April 6, 2000) was the President of Tunisia from 1957 to 1987. He is likened to a Tunisian Kemal Ataturk because of the pro-Western reforms enacted during his administration. Born in Monastir, Bourguiba was installed as pr and assumed the presidency on November 7November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. Events 1665 The London Gazette, the oldest surviving journal, is first published. 1783 A man convicted of forgery is the last to be publicly h, 1987 (a symbolic date for his regime) with some popular support. Seven doctors signed a paper declaring that Habib BourguibaHabib Bourguiba ( August 3, 1903 April 6, 2000) was the President of Tunisia from 1957 to 1987. He is likened to a Tunisian Kemal Ataturk because of the pro-Western reforms enacted during his administration. Born in Monastir, Bourguiba was installed as pr was unfit for office. He then retained his predecessor's non-aligned foreign policy stance and supported the economy which has been growing since the early 1990sCenturies: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s 2040s Years: Events and trends Computers, technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other techn. Big public works projects, including airports, highways or housing, have been undertaken. However, unemployment remains the biggest economical problem.

Ben Ali continued his predecessor's authoritarian approach and cult of personality (his activities occupy most of the daily news). Although he announced political pluralism in 1992, his Democratic Constitutional Rally (formerly Neo-Destour party) continues to dominate the national politics. His regime continues not to allow the opposition's activities and the freedom of press remains a masquerade. In 1999, although two unknown alternative candidates were permitted for the first time to stand in the presidential elections, Ben Ali was reelected with 99.6% of the vote. He was again reelected on October 24, 2004, officially taking 94.48% of the vote, after a controversial constitutional referendum in 2002 which allows him to stand in office at least until 2014.