Habib Bourguiba

**Habib Bourguiba** (3 August 1903 – 6 April 2000) na he be a Tunisian politician den statesman wey serve as de prime minister of de Kingdom of Tunisia from 1956 to 1957, den then as de first presido of Tunisia from 1957 to 1987. Prior to ein presidency, na he lead de nation to independence from France, wey dey end de 75-year-old protectorate den dey earn de title of "Supreme Combatant".

Dem born am insyd Monastir to a poor family, na he attend Sadiki College den Lycée Carnot insyd Tunis before he obtain ein baccalaureate insyd 1924. Na he graduate from de University of Paris den de Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) insyd 1927 wey he return to Tunis make he practice law. Insyd de early 1930s, he cam be involve insyd anti-colonial den Tunisian national politics, joining de Destour party wey na he co-found de Neo Destour insyd 1934. He cam be a key figure of de independence movement wey na dem repeatedly arrest am by de colonial administration. Na ein involvement insyd de riots of 9 April 1938 result in ein exile to Marseille during World War II.

Insyd 1945, following Bourguiba ein release, na he move go Cairo, Egypt make he seek de support of de Arab League. He return to Tunisia insyd 1949 wey na he rise to prominence as de leader of de national movement. Although initially na he commit to peaceful negotiations plus de French government, he get an effective role insyd de armed unrest wey start insyd 1952 wen na dem prove to be unsuccessful. Na dem arrest den imprison am on La Galite Island for two years, before dem exile am insyd France. Der, na he lead negotiations plus Prime Minister Pierre Mendès France wey he obtain internal autonomy agreements in exchange for de end of de unrest. Bourguiba return victorious to Tunis on 1 June 1955, buh na he be challenged by Salah Ben Youssef for de party leader position. Na Ben Youssef den ein supporters disagree plus Bourguiba ein "soft" policies wey na dem demand full independence of de Maghreb. Na dis result in a civil war wey pitted Bourguibists, wey na dem favor a gradual policy den modernism, against Youssefists, de conservative Arab nationalist supporters of Ben Youssef. Na de conflict end in favor of Bourguiba plus de Sfax Congress of 1955.

Following de country ein independence insyd 1956, na dem appoint Bourguiba prime minister by king Muhammad VIII al-Amin wey na he act as *de facto* ruler before proclaiming de Republic on 25 July 1957. Na dem elect am interim Presido of Tunisia by Parliament til de ratification of de Constitution. During ein rule, na he implement a strong education system, he work on developing de economy, he support gender equality, wey na he proclaim a neutral foreign policy, wey make am an exception among Arab leaders. De main reform wey na dem pass be de Code of Personal Status wich implement a modern society. Na he establish a strong presidential system wich turn into a twenty-year one-party state wey be dominated by ein own party, de Socialist Destourian Party. Na a cult of personality sanso develop around am, before na he proclaim einself presido for life insyd 1975, during ein fourth 5-year term.

Na de end of ein 30-year rule be marked by ein declining health, a war of succession, den de rise of clientelism den Islamism. On 7 November 1987, na dem remove am from power by ein prime minister, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, wey na he keep am under house arrest insyd a residence insyd Monastir. Na he remain der til ein death wey na dem bury am insyd a mausoleum he previously build.

## Ein life matter
Insyd 1925, while a student insyd Paris, Habib Bourguiba meet Mathilde Lorrain plus whom he settle. During summer vacations back insyd Tunis, he learn say na she dey preg: Habib Bourguiba Jr., ein kiddie per, na dem born am on 9 April 1927 insyd Paris. Na de couple marry insyd August of de same year, after dema return to Tunisia. After independence, Mathilde obtain Tunisian citizenship, wey she convert to Islam wey na she adopt de name of Moufida. On 21 July 1961, na dem end up divorcing.

On 12 April 1962, na Bourguiba marry Wassila Ben Ammar, a woman wey komot a family of Tunis bourgeoisie wey na he know am for 18 years. Togeda, na dem adopt a girl dem name Hajer. Na Wassila take a larger part insyd politics over de deteriorating health of ein husby, wich na go give am de title of *Majda* (Venerable). Na de couple divorce on 11 August 1986, plus a mere statement den widout any respected legal proceedings.

## Honours den decorations

### Tunisian national honours

* Tunisia :
** Grand Master & Grand Collar of de Order of Independence (automatic upon taking presidential office)
** Grand Master & Grand Collar of de Order of the Republic (automatic upon taking presidential office)
** Grand Master & Grand Cordon of de National Order of Merit (automatic upon taking presidential office)
** Grand Cordon of Nichan Iftikar (1956)

### Foreign honors

* Denmark : Knight of de Order of the Elephant (1963)
* Egypt : Collar of de Order of the Nile (1965)
* Ethiopia : Grand Cross of de Order of the Star of Ethiopia (1963)
* Ghana : Companion of de Order of the Star of Ghana (1966)
* Netherlands : Knight Grand Cross of de Order of the Netherlands Lion (1966)
* Iran : Collar of de Order of Pahlavi (1969)
* Italy : Knight Grand Cross plus Collar of de Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (25 May 1962)
* Ivory Coast : Grand Cross of de National Order of the Ivory Coast (1966)
* Jordan : Collar of de Order of Al-Hussein bin Ali (1973)
* Saudi Arabia : Collar of de Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud (1975)
* Liberia : Grand Croce of de Order of the Pioneers of Liberia (1966)
* Libya : Collar of de Order of Idris I
* Malaysia : Honorary Grand Commander of de Order of the Defender of the Realm (1969)
* Mauritania : Grand Cordon of de National Order of Merit of Mauritania (1966)
* Morocco : Collar of de Order of Muhammad
* Morocco : Grand Cordon of de Order of Ouissam Alaouite (1956)
* Niger : Grand Cross of de Order of the Niger (1966)
* Oman : Special Class of de Order of Oman (1973)
* Senegal : Grand Cross of de National Order of the Lion (1966)
* Spain : Collar of de Order of Civil Merit (24 May 1968)
* Spain : Knight of de Collar of de Order of Isabella the Catholic (16 November 1983)
* Sweden : Knight of de Royal Order of the Seraphim (22 May 1963)
* Turkey : Collar of de Order of the State of Republic of Turkey (1960)
* United Arab Emirates : Collar of de Order of the Federation (1973)
* United Kingdom : Honorary Knight Grand Cross of de Order of the Bath (1980)
* Yugoslavia : Yugoslav Great Star (1965)

## Awards den recognition

* Honorary Degree from Cheikh Anta Diop University
* Honorary Degree from Cairo University
* Honorary Degree from Lebanese University
* Nelson Mandela Supreme Fighter Prize
* Order of Independence

## Publications

* *Le Destour et la France*, ed. Berg, Paris, 1937
* *La Tunisie et la France : vingt-cinq ans de lutte pour une coopération libre*, ed. Julliard, Tunis, 1954
* *La Tunisie de Bourguiba*, ed. Plon, Paris, 1958
* *Le Drame algérien*, ed. Publications du secrétariat d’État à l’Information, Tunis, 1960
* *La Bataille économique*, ed. Publications du secrétariat d’État à l’Information, Tunis, 1962
* *La Promotion de l’Afrique*, ed. Publications du secrétariat d’État à l’Information, Tunis, 1965
* *Éducation et développement*, ed. Publications du secrétariat d’État à l’Information, Tunis, 1966
* *9 avril 1938. Le procès Bourguiba*, ed. Centre de documentation nationale, Tunis, 1970
* *Propos et réflexions*, ed. Publications du secrétariat d’État à l’Information, Tunis, 1974
* *Ma vie, mes idées, mon combat*, ed. Publications du secrétariat d’État à l’Information, Tunis, 1977
* *Citations*, ed. Dar El Amal, Tunis, 1978
* *Articles de presse (1929-1933)*, ed. Dar El Amal, Tunis, 1982
* *Les Lettres du prisonnier de La Galite*, ed. Dar El Amal, Tunis, 1983
* *Ma vie, mon œuvre*, ed. Plon, Paris, 1985

## References


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## External links

* Official Website run by his family
* History of his life by the BBC
* Obituary from ''The New York Times''
* Leaders of Tunisia – Ministers of Foreign Affairs Archived 19 September 2012 at archive.today