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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Tunisia
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Country in N Africa, on the Mediterranean,
bounded to the southeast by Libya and to the
west by Algeria. government The constitution
was adopted 1959, providing for a president
who is both head of state and head of
government, elected by universal suffrage for
a five-year term and eligible for
re-election. The president governs through an
appointed council of ministers. There is a
single-chamber national assembly of 141
members, elected in the same way and for the
same term as the president. history Founded
as Carthage by the Phoenicians in the 8th
century BC, Tunisia was under Arab rule from
the 7th century AD until it became part of
the Ottoman Empire 1574. It harboured the
Barbary pirates until the 19th century. It
became a French protectorate 1881. The
Socialist Destourien Party (PSD), founded
1934 by Habib Bourguiba, led Tunisia's
campaign for independence from France. The
country achieved internal self-government
1955 and full independence 1956, with
Bourguiba as prime minister. A year later the
monarchy was abolished and Tunisia became a
republic, with Bourguiba as president. A new
constitution was adopted 1959 and the first
national assembly elected. Between 1963 and
1981 PSD was the only legally recognized
party but since then others have been
allowed. In Nov 1986 PSD won all the assembly
seats, while other parties boycotted the
elections. President Bourguiba followed a
distinctive foreign policy, establishing
links with the Western powers, including the
USA, but joining other Arab states in
condemning the US-inspired Egypt-Israel
treaty. He allowed the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO) to use Tunis as its
headquarters, and this led to an Israeli
attack 1985 which strained relations with the
USA. Diplomatic links with Libya were severed
1985. Bourguiba's firm and paternalistic
rule, and his long period in Tunisian
politics, made him a national legend,
evidenced by the elaborate mausoleum which
was built in anticipation of his death.
However, in Nov 1987 he was deposed and
replaced by Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. In July
1988, a number of significant constitutional
changes were announced, presaging a move to
more pluralist politics, but in the Apr 1989
elections the RDC won all 141 assembly seats.