Socialist Destourian Party/Constitutional Socialist Party حزب الاشتراكي الدستوري | |
|---|---|
| French name | Parti socialiste destourien |
| Former presidents | Habib Bourguiba (1964–1987) Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (1987–1988) |
| Founded | 22 October 1964 |
| Dissolved | 27 February 1988 |
| Preceded by | Neo Destour |
| Succeeded by | Constitutional Democratic Rally |
| Newspaper | L'Action Tunisienne |
| Ideology | Tunisian nationalism Secularism Authoritarianism Bourguibism |
| International affiliation | Socialist International |
The Socialist Destourian Party (Arabic: الحزب الاشتراكي الدستوري al-Ḥizb al-Ishtirākī ad-Dustūrī ; French: Parti socialiste destourien) was the ruling political party of Tunisia from 1964 to 1988. Bahi Ladgham was the first Prime Minister from the party and Hédi Baccouche was the last. It was founded on 22 October 1964 and disbanded on 27 February 1988. Habib Bourgiba was the first president of the Socialist Destourian Party from 1964 to 1987. He was succeeded by Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from 1987 to 1988.
History
Independence of Tunisia from France was negotiated largely by the Neo Destour's Bourguiba. The effective date was March 20, 1956. The next year the Republic of Tunisia was constituted, which replaced the Beylical form of government. Tunisia became a one-party state, with Neo Destour as the ruling party under Prime Minister and later President Habib Bourguiba.[1] Later the Neo Destour party was renamed the Socialist Destourian Party in 1964, to signal the government's commitment to a socialist phase of political-economic development. This phase failed to fulfill expectations, however, and was discontinued in 1969 with the dismissal of Ahmad ben Salah as economics minister by President Bourguiba.[2][3][4]
The party was dissolved by President Ben Ali in 1988 and replaced by the Constitutional Democratic Rally.
Electoral history
Presidential elections
| Election | Party candidate | Votes | % | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Habib Bourguiba | 100% | Elected  | |
| 1969 | 100% | Elected | ||
| 1974 | 100% | Elected |
Chamber of Deputies elections
| Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Habib Bourguiba | 1,255,153 | 100% | 101 / 101 |  101 | 1st | Sole legal party |
| 1969 | 1,363,939 | 100% | 101 / 101 |  | 1st | Sole legal party | |
| 1974 | 1,570,954 | 100% | 112 / 112 | 11 | 1st | Sole legal party | |
| 1979 | 1,560,753 | 100% | 121 / 121 | 9 | 1st | Sole legal party | |
| 1981 | 1,828,363 | 94.2% in alliance with UGTT | 136 / 136 | 15 | 1st | Supermajority government | |
| 1986 | in alliance with UGTT | 125 / 125 |  11 | 1st | Supermajority government | ||
See also
- Destour
- Neo Destour
- Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD)
References
- ^ Brace, Morocco Algeria Tunisia (Prentice Hall 1964) pp. 114-116, 121-123, 140-143.
- ^ Perkins, A History of Modern Tunisia (Cambridge University 2004) at 146-147.
- ^ Jean R. Tartter, "Government and Politics" at 234-238, in Tunisia. A Country Study (Washington, D. C. 1987).
- ^ Abadi, Tunisia since the Arab Conquest (Ithaca 2013) pp. 139-141.