List of prime ministers of Tunisia

Last updated

The prime minister of Tunisia is the head of government of Tunisia since the creation of the office in 1759 till its abolition in 1957 with the proclamation of the republic. The office was revived in 1969 under the Republican system. There have been 44 prime ministers of Tunisia since the office came into existence in 1759.

Contents

The office existed before independence as the Monarch appoint a prime minister to be the head of government. Rejeb Khaznadar was the first prime minister in the history of Tunisia in 1759.

After the abolition of monarchy, the 1959 Constitution of Tunisia established a presidential system where the president was both the head of state and the head of government. On November 1969, President Habib Bourguiba brought back the position by appointing Bahi Ladgham to be the first prime minister under the republican system.

Before the 2011 revolution, the role of the prime minister was limited to assisting the president. With the adoption of the new constitution in 2014, the constitutional powers expanded, making the prime minister responsible of major domestic policies.

The youngest person to become prime minister was Mustapha Ben Ismail in 1878 at 28 years of age while the oldest was Beji Caid Essebsi in 2011 at 85 years of age. The term of Mohammed Aziz Bouattour (1882–1907) is the longest for a prime minister, with a period of nearly 25 years, while Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's term (1987) is the shortest with 36 days.

Three prime ministers became presidents afterwards: Habib Bourguiba, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and Beji Caid Essebsi.

There are currently seven living former prime ministers. The most recent former prime minister to die is Rachid Sfar on 20 July 2023.

List of prime ministers

Monarchy

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePartyElection Monarch
(Bey / King)
1 Coat of arms of the Beylik of Tunis.svg Rejeb Khaznadar
رجب خزندار
(c. 1720–1797)
12 February 175926 May 1782  Independent None Ali II
علي الثاني
Flag of the Bey of Tunis.svg
(1759–1782)
2 Coat of arms of the Beylik of Tunis.svg Moustapha Khodja
مصطفى خوجة
(c. 1720–1800)
26 May 17821800  Independent Hammouda I
حمودة الأول
Hammouda Pacha.jpg
(1782–1814)
3 Coat of arms of the Beylik of Tunis.svg Youssef Saheb Ettabaa
يوسف صاحب الطابع
(c. 1765–1815)
180023 January 1815  Independent Othman I
عثمان الأول
Flag of the Bey of Tunis.svg
(1814)
4 Coat of arms of the Beylik of Tunis.svg Mohamed Larbi Zarrouk Khaznadar
محمد العربي زروق خزندار
(1760–1822)
18151822  Independent Mahmoud I
محمود الأول
Flag of the Bey of Tunis.svg
(1814–1824)
5 Coat of arms of the Beylik of Tunis.svg Hussein Khodja
حسين خوجة
(c.1780–1857)
18221829  Independent Hussein II
حسين الثاني
Flag of the Bey of Tunis.svg
(1824–1835)
6 Coat of arms of the Beylik of Tunis.svg Shakir Saheb Ettabaa
شاكير صاحب الطابع
(c. 1790–1837)
18291837  Independent Mustafa I
مصطفى الأول
Flag of the Bey of Tunis.svg
(1835–1837)
7 Moustapha Saheb Ettabaa.jpg Mustapha Saheb Ettabaa
مصطفى صاحب الطابع
(1784–1861)
18371855  Independent Ahmad I
أحمد الأول
Ahmed I Bey -.jpg
(1837–1855)
8 Khazdadar.JPG Mustapha Khaznadar
مصطفى خزندار
(1817–1878)
185522 October 1873  Independent Muhammad II
محمد الثاني
Mohammed Bey.jpg
(1855–1859)
9 Kheireddine Pacha high.JPG Kheireddine Pacha
خير الدين باشا التونسي
(1822–1890)
22 October 187321 July 1877  Independent Muhammad III as-Sadiq
محمد الثالث الصادق
Sadok Bey.jpg
(1859–1882)
10 Husseinic coat of arms.jpg Mohammed Khaznadar
محمد خزندار
(c. 1810–1889)
21 July 187724 August 1878  Independent
11 Mustapha Ben Smail.JPG Mustapha Ben Ismail
مصطفى بن اسماعيل
(c. 1850–1887)
24 August 187812 September 1881  Independent
12 Husseinic coat of arms.jpg Mohammed Khaznadar
محمد خزندار
(c. 1810–1889)
12 September 1881October 1882  Independent
13 Mohamed Aziz Bouattour.jpg Mohammed Aziz Bouattour
محمد العزيز بوعتور
(1825–1907)
October 18824 February 1907  Independent Ali III
علي الثالث
Ali III Bey - 2.jpg
(1882–1902)
Muhammad IV al-Hadi
محمد الرابع الهادي
Hedi Bey.jpg
(1902–1906)
14 Coat of Arms of the beys of Tunis (Husseinic dynasty).svg M'hamed Djellouli
امحمّد جلولي
(1834–1908)
18 February 1907June 1908 [lower-alpha 1]   Independent Muhammad V an-Nasir
محمد الخامس الناصر
Naceur Bey - 2.jpg
(1906–1922)
15 Coat of Arms of the beys of Tunis (Husseinic dynasty).svg Youssef Djaït
يوسف جعيط
(1830–1915)
June 1908June 1915  Independent
16 Mohamed Taieb Djellouli.jpg Taïeb Djellouli
الطيب جلولي
(1857–1944)
October 1915May 1922  Independent
17 Mustapha dinguizli.jpg Mustapha Dinguizli
مصطفى الدنقزلي
(1865–1926)
May 192220 October 1926 [lower-alpha 1]   Independent Muhammad VI al-Habib
محمد السادس الحبيب
Habib Bey - 2.jpg
(1922–1929)
18 Khalil Bouhageb.png Khelil Bouhageb
خليل بوحاجب
(1863–1942)
3 November 19262 March 1932  Independent
19 Portrait of Hedi lakhoua by Hedi khayachi.jpg Hédi Lakhoua
الهادي الأخوة
(1872–1949)
2 March 193231 December 1942  Independent Ahmad II
أحمد الثاني
Ahmed Bey.jpg
(1929–1942)
20 M'hamed Chenik.jpg Mohamed Chenik
محمد شنيق
(1889–1976)
1 1 January 194315 May 1943  Destour Muhammad VII al-Munsif
محمد السابع المنصف
Moncef Bey - 2.jpg
(1942–1943)
21 Slaheddine Baccouche.jpg Slaheddine Baccouche
صلاح الدين البكوش
(1883–1959)
1 15 May 194321 July 1947  Independent Muhammad VIII al-Amin
محمد الثامن الأمين
Lamine Bey.jpg
(1943–1957)
22 Mustapha Kaak.jpg Mustapha Kaak
مصطفى الكعاك
(1893–1984)
21 July 194717 August 1950  Independent
23 M'hamed Chenik.jpg Mohamed Chenik
محمد شنيق
(1889–1976)
2 17 August 195026 March 1952  Destour
24 Slaheddine Baccouche.jpg Slaheddine Baccouche
صلاح الدين البكوش
(1883–1959)
2 12 April 19522 March 1954  Independent
25 Ms mzali.jpg Mohamed Salah Mzali
محمد صالح مزالي
(1896–1984)
2 March 19546 July 1954  Independent
Office vacant (6 July 1954 – 7 August 1954)
Secretary general of the government Georges Dupoizat was in charge of its affairs
26 Tahar Ben Ammar.jpg Tahar Ben Ammar
الطاهر بن عمار
(1889–1985)
7 August 195411 April 1956  Destour None
27 Bourguiba 1960.jpg Habib Bourguiba
الحبيب بورقيبة
(1903–2000)
11 April 195625 July 1957 [lower-alpha 2]   Neo Destour 1956

Republic

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePartyElection President
Office vacant (25 July 1957 – 7 November 1969)
Presidential system  : The president directs the government (Bourguiba government)
1959
1964
Habib Bourguiba
الحبيب بورقيبة
Portrait Habib Bourguiba.jpg
(1957–1987)
28 Bahi Ladgham.jpg Bahi Ladgham
الباهي الأدغم
(1913–1998)
7 November 19692 November 1970  SDP 1969
29 Hedi nouira cropped.jpg Hédi Nouira
الهادي نويرة
(1911–1993)
2 November 197023 April 1980  SDP 1974
1979
30 Mohamed mzali.jpg Mohammed Mzali
محمد مزالي
(1925–2010)
23 April 19808 July 1986  SDP 1981
31 RACHID SFAR ancien Premier Ministre Tunisien.jpg Rachid Sfar
رشيد صفر
(1933–2023)
8 July 19862 October 1987  SDP 1986
32 Zine El Abidine Ben Ali cropped.jpg Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
زين العابدين بن علي
(1936–2019)
2 October 19877 November 1987  SDP
33 Hedi Baccouche 2013-01-25.jpg Hédi Baccouche
الهادي البكوش
(1930–2020)
1
2
3
7 November 198727 September 1989  DCR Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
زين العابدين بن علي
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.jpg
(1987–2011)
34 Hamed karoui (cropped).jpg Hamed Karoui
حامد القروي
(1927–2020)
27 September 198917 November 1999  DCR 1989
1994
35 Mohamed Ghannouchi cropped.jpg Mohamed Ghannouchi
محمد الغنوشي
(b. 1941)
1
2
17 November 199927 February 2011  DCR 1999
2004
2009
36 Beji Caid el Sebsi at the 37th G8 Summit in Deauville 006.jpg Beji Caid Essebsi
الباجي قائد السبسي
(1926–2019)
27 February 201124 December 2011  Independent None Fouad Mebazaa
فؤاد المبزع
Fouad Mebazaa 15 jan 2011.jpg
(2011)
37 Hamadi Jebali - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012-1 (cropped).jpg Hamadi Jebali
حمادي الجبالي
(b. 1949)
24 December 201114 March 2013  Ennahda 2011 Moncef Marzouki
المنصف المرزوقي
Marzouki Moncef.png
(2011–2014)
38 Ali Larayedh 2014.jpg Ali Laarayedh
علي العريض
(b. 1955)
14 March 201329 January 2014  Ennahda
39 2013 Planete PME CGPME Mehdi Jomaa.JPG Mehdi Jomaa
مهدي جمعة
(b. 1962)
29 January 20146 February 2015  Independent
40 HabibEssid.jpg Habib Essid
الحبيب الصيد
(b. 1949)
6 February 201527 August 2016  Independent 2014 Beji Caid Essebsi
الباجي قائد السبسي
Beji Caid Essebsi 2015-05-20.jpg
(2014–2019)
41 Youssef Chahed.jpg Youssef Chahed
يوسف الشاهد
(b. 1975)
27 August 201627 February 2020  Nidaa Tounes
  Tahya Tounes Mohamed Ennaceur
محمد الناصر
Mohamed Ennaceur.jpg
(2019)
42 Fakhfakh-1.jpg Elyes Fakhfakh
إلياس الفخفاخ
(b. 1972)
27 February 20202 September 2020  Ettakatol [1] 2019 Kais Saied
قيس سعيد
President Kais Saied.jpg
(2019–)
43 Hichem Mechichi.jpg Hichem Mechichi
هشام المشيشي
(b. 1974)
2 September 202025 July 2021  Independent
Office vacant (25 July 2021 – 11 October 2021)
The president directed the government temporarily after political crisis
44 lry'ys tbwn ystqbl ry'ys@ lHkwm@ ltwnsy@ 0-24 screenshot (cropped).png Najla Bouden
نجلاء بودن
(b. 1958)
11 October 20212 August 2023  Independent 2023
45 Coat of arms of Tunisia.svg Ahmed Hachani
أحمد الحشاني
(b. 1956)
2 August 2023Incumbent  Independent

Statistics

Monarchy

Timeline

Habib BourguibaTahar Ben AmmarMohamed Salah MzaliMustapha KaakSlaheddine BaccoucheMohamed ChenikHédi LakhouaKhelil BouhagebMustapha DinguizliTaïeb DjellouliYoussef DjaïtM'hamed DjellouliMohammed Aziz BouattourMustapha Ben IsmailMohammed KhaznadarKheireddine PachaMustapha KhaznadarMustapha Saheb EttabaaRashid al-Shakir Sahib al-Taba'aHussein KhodjaMohamed Larbi Zarrouk KhaznadarYoussef Saheb EttabaaMoustapha KhodjaRejeb KhaznadarList of prime ministers of Tunisia

Rank by time in office

Mohamed Aziz Bouattour.jpg
Mohammed Aziz Bouattour
Longest term:
24 years, 98 days
1882–1907
Ms mzali.jpg
Mohamed Salah Mzali
Shortest term:
126 days
1954
RankPrime MinisterTime in office
1 Mohammed Aziz Bouattour 24 years, 98 days
2 Rejeb Khaznadar 23 years, 103 days
3 Mustapha Khaznadar 18 years, 294 days
4 Mustapha Saheb Ettabaa 18 years, 0 days
5 Moustapha Khodja 17 years, 220 days
6 Youssef Saheb Ettabaa 15 years, 22 days
7 Hédi Lakhoua 10 years, 304 days
8 Shakir Saheb Ettabaa 8 years, 0 days
9 Youssef Djaït 7 years, 122 days
9 Larbi Zarrouk Khaznadar 7 years, 0 days
11 Hussein Khodja 7 years, 0 days
12 Taïeb Djellouli 6 years, 212 days
13 Khelil Bouhageb 5 years, 120 days
14 Slaheddine Baccouche 5 years, 26 days [lower-alpha 3]
15 Mustapha Dinguizli 4 years, 172 days
16 Kheireddine Pacha 3 years, 272 days
17 Mustapha Kaak 3 years, 27 days
18 Mustapha Ben Ismail 3 years, 19 days
19 Mohammed Khaznadar 2 years, 53 days [lower-alpha 3]
20 Mohamed Chenik 1 years, 356 days [lower-alpha 3]
21 Tahar Ben Ammar 1 year, 248 days
22 Habib Bourguiba 1 year, 105 days
23 M'hamed Djellouli 1 year, 104 days
24 Mohamed Salah Mzali 126 days

Republic

Timeline

Ahmed HachaniNajla BoudenHichem MechichiElyes FakhfakhYoussef ChahedHabib EssidMehdi JomaaAli LaarayedhHamadi JebaliBeji Caid EssebsiMohamed GhannouchiHamed KarouiHédi BaccoucheZine El Abidine Ben AliRachid SfarMohammed MzaliHédi NouiraBahi LadghamHabib BourguibaList of prime ministers of Tunisia


Rank by time in office

Mohamed Ghannouchi.jpg
Mohamed Ghannouchi
Longest term:
11 years, 102 days
1999–2011
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali cropped.jpg
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
Shortest term:
36 days
1987
RankPrime MinisterTime in office
1 Mohamed Ghannouchi 11 years, 102 days
2 Hamed Karoui 10 years, 51 days
3 Hedi Nouira 9 years, 173 days
4 Mohamed Mzali 6 years, 76 days
5 Youssef Chahed 3 years, 184 days
6 Hedi Baccouche 1 year, 324 days
7 Najla Bouden 1 year, 294 days
8 Habib Essid 1 year, 203 days
9 Rachid Sfar 1 year, 86 days
10 Hamadi Jebali 1 year, 80 days
11 Mehdi Jomaa 1 year, 8 days
12 Bahi Ladgham 360 days
13 Hichem Mechichi 326 days
14 Ali Laarayedh 321 days
15 Beji Caid Essebsi 300 days
16 Elyes Fakhfakh 188 days
17 Zine El Abidine Ben Ali 36 days

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Died in office.
  2. Parliament voted to abolish the monarchy and appoint him as president.
  3. 1 2 3 Two separate terms.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Tunisia</span> Political system of Tunisia

The politics of Tunisia takes place within the framework of a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic, with a president serving as head of state, prime minister as head of government, a unicameral legislature and a court system influenced by French civil law. Between 1956 and 2011, Tunisia operated as a de facto one-party state, with politics dominated by the secular Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) under former presidents Habib Bourguiba and then Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. However, in 2011 a national uprising led to the ousting of Ben Ali and the dismantling of the RCD, paving the way for a multi-party democracy. October 2014 saw the first democratic parliamentary elections since the 2011 revolution, resulting in a win by the secularist Nidaa Tounes party with 85 seats in the 217-member assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zine El Abidine Ben Ali</span> President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, commonly known as Ben Ali or Ezzine (الزين), was a Tunisian politician who served as the second president of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. In that year, during the Tunisian revolution, he fled to Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Tunisia</span> Head of state of Tunisia

The president of Tunisia, officially the president of the Republic of Tunisia, is the head of state and head of government of Tunisia. Under Article 77 of the Constitution of Tunisia, the president is also the commander-in-chief of the Tunisian Armed Forces. The incumbent president is Kais Saied who has held this position since 23 October 2019 following the death of Beji Caid Essebsi on 25 July 2019. The 2022 Tunisian constitutional referendum transformed Tunisia into a presidential republic, giving the president sweeping powers while largely limiting the role of the parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prime Minister of Tunisia</span> Head of government of Tunisia

The prime minister of Tunisia is the head of the executive branch of the government of Tunisia. The prime minister directs the executive branch along with the president and, together with the prime minister's cabinet, is accountable to the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, to the prime minister's political party and, ultimately, to the electorate for the policies and actions of the executive and the legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of modern Tunisia</span>

In its modern history, Tunisia is a sovereign republic, officially called the Republic of Tunisia. Tunisia has over ten million citizens, almost all of Arab-Berber descent. The Mediterranean Sea is to the north and east, Libya to the southeast, and Algeria to the west. Tunis is the capital and the largest city ; it is located near the ancient site of the city of Carthage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Tunisian presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Tunisia on 23 November 2014, a month after parliamentary elections. They were the first free and fair presidential elections since the country gained independence in 1956, and the first direct presidential elections after the Tunisian Revolution of 2011 and the adoption of a new Constitution in January 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carthage Palace</span> Presidential palace in Tunisia

Carthage Palace is the presidential palace of Tunisia, and the official residence and seat of the President of Tunisia. It is located along the Mediterranean Sea at the current city of Carthage, near the archaeological site of the ancient city, fifteen kilometers from Tunis. A house by Le Corbusier sits within the site.

Karoui Lazhar Chebbi is a Tunisian lawyer and politician. He became Minister of Justice in the government of Mohamed Ghannouchi. He is currently a member of the new secular political party Nidaa Tounes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beji Caid Essebsi</span> President of Tunisia from 2014 to his death in 2019

Beji Caid Essebsi was a Tunisian politician who served as the sixth president of Tunisia from 31 December 2014 until his death on 25 July 2019. Previously, he served as the minister of foreign affairs from 1981 to 1986 and as the prime minister from February 2011 to December 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghannouchi II Cabinet</span>

During the Tunisian Revolution President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled Tunisia on 14 January 2011 Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi then briefly took over as Acting President. On the morning of 15 January 2011 Ghannouchi had handed over the presidency to Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Fouad Mebazaa, This was done after the head of Tunisia's Constitutional Council, Fethi Abdennadher declared that Ghannouchi did not have right to power and confirmed Fouad Mebazaa as Acting President under Article 57 of the 1959 Constitution. Ghannouchi returning to his previous position as prime minister was confirmed as prime minister by Mebazaa and formed a new national unity government on 17 January 2011 that included members of opposition parties, civil society representatives, and even a blogger who only a week previous had been imprisoned by the regime of the deposed President. On 27 February 2011 the government was dissolved and replaced by a new government led by Beji Caid Essebsi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Tunisia</span> 1956–1957 monarchy in Northern Africa

The Kingdom of Tunisia was a short-lived country established as a monarchy on 20 March 1956 after Tunisian independence and the end of the French protectorate period. It lasted for a period of one year and five months between 20 March 1956, the day of the independence, until 25 July 1957, the day of the declaration of the republic. Its sole monarch, titled Bey of Tunis, was Muhammad VIII al-Amin who appointed the Prime Ministers Tahar Ben Ammar and Habib Bourguiba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noureddine Bhiri</span> Tunisian politician

Noureddine Bhiri is a Tunisian politician. He served as the Minister of Justice under Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali.

Ellougik Essiyasi or The political logic is a Tunisian satirical latex puppet show broadcast on Ettounisya TV. It's inspired by the French show Les guignols de l'info, which in turn is derived from the British satirical puppet show Spitting Image, and presented by Taoufik Labidi

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nidaa Tounes</span> Tunisian political party

Nidaa Tounes is a big tent secularist political party in Tunisia. After being founded in 2012, the party won a plurality of seats in the October 2014 parliamentary election. The party's founding leader Beji Caid Essebsi was elected President of Tunisia in the 2014 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mokhtar Yahyaoui</span>

Mokhtar Yahyaoui was a human rights activist and a Tunisian judge. He was opposed to the system of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Yahyaoui was born on June 1, 1952, in the village of Ksar Hadada in southern Tunisia, and died on September 22, 2015, in Teskrayah in the village of Ghazaleh from the region of Bizerte.

The 1987 Tunisian coup d'état involved the bloodless ousting of the aging President of Tunisia Habib Bourguiba on 7 November 1987, and his replacement as President by his recently appointed Prime Minister, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The action was justified by reference to Bourguiba's failing health and Article 57 of the country's constitution. Reports later surfaced to indicate that the Italian intelligence services had been involved in planning it.

Events in the year 2019 in Tunisia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Béchir Ben Yahmed</span> Tunisian-French journalist (1928–2021)

Béchir Ben Yahmed was a Tunisian-French journalist. He founded the weekly news magazine Jeune Afrique and served as its CEO. He also founded the newspaper La Revue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hédi Mabrouk</span> Tunisian diplomat and politician (1921–2011)

Hédi Mabrouk (1921–2000) was a Tunisian statesman, diplomat and politician. After serving as governor of different provinces between 1956 and 1962 he headed various state-owned companies. He was the ambassador of Tunisia to France from 1973 to 1985 and the minister of foreign affairs for one year between 1986 and 1987. He was the last foreign minister of the Habib Bourguiba era and also, was also one of his allies.

References

  1. "Tunisie : La garde rapprochée d'Elyes Fakhfakh, chargé de former le prochain gouvernement – Jeune Afrique". 14 February 2020.