Origins & Early Life

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (Arabic: زَيْن الْعَابِدِين بْن عَلِيّ, romanized: Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn bin ʿAliyy, Tunisian Arabic: Zīn il-ʿĀbdīn bin ʿAlī; 3 September 1936 – 19 September 2019), commonly known as Ben Ali or Ezzine, was a Tunisian politician, military officer and dictator who served as the second president of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. In that year, during the Tunisian revolution, he was overthrown and fled to Saudi Arabia. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987. He assumed the Presidency on 7 November 1987 in a bloodless coup d'état that ousted President Habib Bourguiba by declaring him incompetent.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Ben Ali led an authoritarian regime. He was re-elected in several non-democratic elections where he won with enormous majorities, each time exceeding 90% of the vote, his final re-election coming on 25 October 2009. Ben Ali was the penultimate surviving leader deposed in the Arab Spring; he was survived by Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, the latter dying in February 2020. On 14 January 2011, following a month of protests against his rule, he fled to Saudi Arabia along with his wife Leïla Ben Ali and their three children. The interim Tunisian government asked Interpol to issue an...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alan Alda — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Esteemed American actor celebrated for M*A*S*H and decades of versatile performances.
• Albert Finney — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Esteemed English actor celebrated for his versatile stage and screen performances.
• Andrew Grove — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Visionary engineer and CEO who drove Intel to global semiconductor dominance.
• Agnès Varda — Contemporary (Died in 2019) (2019): Pioneering French filmmaker, artist, and documentarian celebrated for her unique vision.
• Akihito — Contemporary (Died in 2019) (2019): 125th Emperor of Japan; reigned during the Heisei era (1989-2019).
• André Previn — Contemporary (Died in 2019) (2019): Versatile American musician, composer, and conductor mastering jazz, film, and classical forms.
• 7th Dalai Lama — Shared historical date (09-03 · Born) (1708): Spiritual leader of Tibet, recognized as the 7th Dalai Lama from 1720 to 1757.
• Adolphe Thiers — Shared historical date (09-03 · Died) (1877): Influential French statesman, historian, and President of the Third Republic.
• Aleksandr Karelin — Shared historical date (09-19 · Born) (1967): Dominant Greco-Roman wrestler, nicknamed the "Russian Bear", celebrated for unmatched Olympic success.
• Antoninus Pius — Shared historical date (09-19 · Born) (86): Fourth of the Five Good Emperors, known for a long period of peace and stable administration.
• 1936 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1936
• September 3 (09-03) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 3
• 2019 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2019
• September 19 (09-19) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 19