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Ben Ali ruled Tunisia for more than 23 years (French - Archive) |
Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, born September 3, 1936 city of Hammam-Sousse, is the second President of the Republic of Tunisia after the late President Habib Bourguiba, since November 7, 1987.
A graduate of the Technical Institute of Sousse, and joined the Army in 1958 and then continued a military configured military academies in the city of Saint-Cyr, France.
Ben Ali assumed several functions, the work of an officer in the Army Staff when he was the establishment of the Military Security Department in 1964, and Director General of National Security in 1977.
Appointed ambassador to Poland in 1980, and resumed the General Directorate of National Security in 1984, was appointed minister of national security in 1985.
Became a member of the Political Bureau of the Socialist Party in 1986, constitutional, and Assistant Secretary-General of the Party and then as Secretary-General of the party after that.
Appointed Minister of the Interior Rashid zero then the Government will compensate the first minister, while retaining the Ministry of the Interior in 1987.
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President Habib Bourguiba(Al-Jazeera - Archive) |
1987 coup
Ben Ali assumed the presidency of Tunisia in November 7, 1987 a bloodless coup on President Habib Bourguiba. He was elected President of the Republic in the elections of 1994 and 1999.
In 2002 a constitutional amendment had allowed him to run for a new presidential term in 2004 and won with 94.4%, and then run again in 2009 for a fifth term, won by 89.62% of the vote.
I knew the period during which he held the reins of power political and economic tensions highlighted the emergence of "Islamic extremism" and the struggle for power in late-day Bourguiba.
Prosperity and suppression
Under his leadership, known as the country prospered economically and ranked Tunisia first in Africa several times in the economic competitiveness and growth rates according to the numbers is an independent international bodies.
However, this economic success did not hide his criticism of the Ben Ali regime by the international human rights bodies about the human rights violations and repression of dissidents and censoring almost entirely on the media and freedom of expression.
Several organizations have accused the defense of human rights and freedoms in addition to the Western media for many Ben Ali as a dictator, was developed in 1998 a list of the ten worst enemies of press freedom in the world.
Since late 2010 and so far, there have been the first crisis period of his rule and described Baloktr in its history after a surge in protests and popular movements in the entire territory of the Republic have left dozens dead and wounded, condemned to unemployment, corruption and nepotism.
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Nasreen and her husband, rock Materi (French) |
His private life
Married Ben Ali Naima adequate in 1964 and fathered three daughters are the Battle of the wife of a sound business Zarrouk, Dorsaf wife of a business and administrative famous sports controlling body and Ceren wife businessman Marwan Mabrouk.
1980, known as Ben Ali Leila Trabelsi, when he was interior minister, to marry her in 1992 after he divorced his first wife, Naima, 1988.
Begotten son of Laila Ali two daughters and a son. Nasreen has been married for 2004 from businessman Mohamed Sakhr Materi Materi fair son the officer who was sentenced to death and then pardoned on charges of planning the assassination of Bourguiba in 1962.
In 1992 Ben Ali Rizk second daughter of Leila, Halima. In February 2005 Rizk Ben Ali's first son, Mohammed Zainal Abidin. 
