Habib Bourguiba

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Lore & Background

Bourguiba was born in Monastir, the eighth child and final son of Ali Bourguiba and Fatouma Khefacha. His official birthdate is 3 August 1903, though he stated he was likely born a year earlier, on 3 August 1902, or possibly 1901. His father, who was 53 years old, wondered whether he could raise him properly. Despite financial hardship, Ali Bourguiba gave great importance to the education of his children. Bourguiba started elementary education in Monastir, then his father sent him to Tunis in September 1907, when he was 5, to pursue his studies at the Sadiki primary school. He earned his certificat d'études primaires in 1913. His mother died in November 1913, when he was 10 years old. After a period of illness, he spent nearly two years living with his older brother Mohamed in Kef from January 1920, a major turning point. He then enrolled in Lycée Carnot of Tunis, in classe de seconde, and obtained his baccalaureate in 1924. He graduated from the University of Paris and the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) in 1927 and returned to Tunis to practice law. In the early 1930s, he became involved in anti-colonial and Tunisian national politics, joining the Destour party and co-founding the Neo Destour in 1934. His involvement in the riots of 9 April 1938 resulted in his exile to Marseille during World War II.

Reader's Guide

Bourguiba's significance lies in his central role in Tunisia's independence from France and his subsequent three-decade rule as president. After independence in 1956, he was appointed prime minister by king Muhammad VIII al-Amin and acted as de facto ruler before proclaiming the Republic on 25 July 1957. He was elected interim President of Tunisia by Parliament until the ratification of the Constitution. During his rule, he implemented a strong education system, worked on developing the economy, supported gender equality, and proclaimed a neutral foreign policy, making him an exception among Arab leaders. The main reform was the Code of Personal Status, which implemented a modern society. He established a strong presidential system which turned into a twenty-year one-party state dominated by his own party, the Socialist Destourian Party. A cult of personality also developed around him, before he proclaimed himself president for life in 1975, during his fourth 5-year term. The end of his 30-year rule was marked by his declining health, a war of succession, and the rise of clientelism and Islamism. On 7 November 1987, he was removed from power by his prime minister, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and kept under house arrest in a residence in Monastir. He remained there until his death and was buried in a mausoleum he had previously built.

Did You Know?

• Bourguiba's official birthdate is 3 August 1903, but he stated he was likely born a year earlier, on 3 August 1902, or possibly 1901.
• His mother gave birth to him when she was 40, which, according to Bourguiba, was a source of great shame for her.
• He earned his certificat d'études primaires in 1913, which dispensed him from military service.
• Bourguiba spent nearly two years living with his older brother Mohamed in Kef from January 1920, a period he called a major turning point in his life.
• He proclaimed himself president for life in 1975, during his fourth 5-year term.

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