Tunisia

First President of Tunisia Dies

April 30, 2000
First President of Tunisia Dies

First president of the Republic of Tunisia, Habib Bourguiba, dies.

14th Mediterranean Games

September 30, 2001
14th Mediterranean Games

14th Mediterranean Games held in Tunis.

Ben Ali Wins Referendum

May 30, 2002
Ben Ali Wins Referendum

President Ben Ali wins referendum on constitutional changes, ending term limits and raising age requirement.

October 8, 2004

President Ben Ali wins 4th term. Since Ali’s successful 1987 coup, he never received less than 94% of the vote.

Tunisia Creates New Parliamentary Body

July 11, 2005
Tunisia Creates New Parliamentary Body

Parliament inducts a new upper house that is run by the ruling party, the Chamber of Councilors.

U.S.-Tunisia Defense Cooperation Increases

March 2, 2006
U.S.-Tunisia Defense Cooperation Increases

 U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Tunisian leaders pledge stronger military ties against extremism.

Government Begins Censorship

November 30, 2007
Government Begins Censorship

Government blocks popular video-sharing sites, including YouTube, to censor material by and about opposition activists.

Ben Ali Wins Fifth Term

October 31, 2009
Ben Ali Wins Fifth Term

President Ben Ali wins fifth five-year term amid criticisms of unfair election process.

The Arab Spring Begins

December 31, 2010
The Arab Spring Begins

Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor, lights himself on fire to protest government mistreatment. His death sparks protest movement, the Jasmine Revolution, and Tunisian government reacts aggressively. The Arab Spring begins.

Arab Spring in Tunisia

January 31, 2011
Arab Spring in Tunisia

Security forces are overwhelmed by Arab Spring protesters, prompting President Ben Ali to cede his office and go into exile. Democratic elections are held and a new president and prime minister are elected.

Art and Prison

June 30, 2012
Art and Prison

Hardline conservatives attack an art show deemed offensive to Islam. Government blames Salafists, but also criticizes artists on content. Former President Ben Ali is sentenced to life in prison for the deaths of 23 protesters.

Jomaa Interim Head of Government

December 31, 2013
Jomaa Interim Head of Government

After months of quarreling, Ennahda and secular opposition agree on appointment of independent Mehdi Jomaa as head of interim government.

New Tunisian Constitution

January 31, 2014
New Tunisian Constitution

Parliament formalizes the country’s first constitution since President Ali was expelled in 2011.

IS Targets Foreigners in Tunisia

March 31, 2015
IS Targets Foreigners in Tunisia

Local Islamic State members gun down dozens of foreign tourists over several months.

Nobel Peace Prize

October 31, 2015
Nobel Peace Prize

National Dialogue Quartet, a coalition of Tunisia civil society groups, receives the Nobel Peace Prize for helping country transition to democracy.

IS Surge in Tunisia

March 30, 2016
IS Surge in Tunisia

Islamic State attacks increase in Tunisia as Libya’s instability continues.

Tunisia’s new unity government wins parliamentary approval

August 27, 2016
Tunisia’s new unity government wins parliamentary approval

Tunisia’s new government under Prime Minister-designate Youssef Chahed is officially backed by parliament’s vote of confidence.

Tunisian forces clash with protestors

May 1, 2017
Tunisian forces clash with protestors

Tunisian security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters demanding jobs and a share of gas and oil revenues. This is in response to protesters briefly closing two oil and gas pumping facilities.

Amnesty Bill protests

May 13, 2017
Amnesty Bill protests

Over 2,000 Tunisians marched in Tunis to protest a proposed amnesty bill that pardons businessmen accused of corruption under Ben Ali.

Tunisia ends ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslim men

July 14, 2017
Tunisia ends ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslim men

Tunisia abolished a ban, dating back to 1973, on Muslim women marrying non-Muslim men.

First municipal elections since 2011 uprising

May 22, 2018
First municipal elections since 2011 uprising

Tunisia voted in its first free municipal elections since the overthrow of Ben Ali in 2011.It marks the first step toward the decentralization of the government.

Tunis elects the first female mayor

July 3, 2018
Tunis elects the first female mayor

Souad Abderrahim was elected the first female mayor of Tunisia’s capital, Tunis. “I dedicate this victory to all Tunisian women,” Abderrahim declared.