Ben Ali, Zine El-Abidine << behn ah LEE, zeen ehl ah bih DEEN >> (1936-2019), a former military officer, was president of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. He led the Democratic Constitutional Rally, a moderate left-wing party. As president, Ben Ali reformed Tunisia’s Constitution.
Ben Ali was born on Sept. 3, 1936, in the town of Hammam-Susah, northwest of Susah, on the Mediterranean coast. He studied military subjects and electronic engineering at military colleges in France and the United States.
Ben Ali joined Tunisia’s general defense staff as a young officer. In 1964, he set up the military security department of the Tunisian ministry of defense. He led that department from 1964 to 1974. From 1974 to 1977, Ben Ali served as defense and military attache in Morocco and Spain. He then became assistant to Tunisia’s minister of defense. In 1977, he became director-general of national security. From 1980 to 1984, he served as Tunisia’s ambassador to Poland.
Ben Ali was appointed head of national security in 1984, minister of the interior in 1986, and minister of state of the interior in 1987. In October 1987, he became prime minister. In November, Ben Ali removed President Habib Bourguiba from office and appointed himself president. Ben Ali claimed Bourguiba had become incapable of handling the presidency. In 1989, Ben Ali won election as president, thereby gaining legal acceptance of his position. He then won the next four elections against little or no opposition.
Ben Ali’s administration was troubled by corruption and political repression, even though many Tunisians gained more social and economic opportunities. Violent antigovernment protests erupted in December 2010. Dozens of people were killed. In January 2011, Ben Ali stepped down as president and fled to Saudi Arabia. He died there on Sept. 19, 2019.
