Born: September 3, 1936;

Died: September 19, 2019

ZINE El-Abidine Ben Ali, who has died from cancer aged 83, was initially seen in the West as the president of a North African state with whom they could do business. He managed the Tunisian economy wisely and, although not benefitting from oil reserves, he was thought to be a rare stabilising influence in the region. He talked of social reforms and avoided becoming heavily involved in Islamic fundamentalism.

But after those original expectations his policies floundered and within a few years he was seen as a tyrant. When his regime was overthrown in 2011 other Arab countries followed Tunisia’s lead, and so began the popular uprisings which became known as the Arab Spring.

Ben Ali came to power in 1987 and was the autocratic ruler of Tunisia for 23 years. He ousted President Habib Bourguiba and promised economic and social reform. He also included such controversial subjects as democracy for all, and women’s rights and education. But such expectations were soon found to be a sham, not least by his three consecutive 99.9 per cent election victories.

Ben Ali had attended France’s military academy of Saint-Cyr and studied engineering in the US. For a decade from 1964 he was head of the Tunisian military security and, beginning in 1974, he spent three years as ambassador to Morocco. He was promoted to general and appointed as head of national security. In 1984 his reputation was enhanced when he quashed riots by workers over price increases. He then joined the cabinet.

In October 1987 the ailing Bourguiba appointed Ben Ali prime minister. Within a month Ben Ali led a coup that deposed Bourguiba and appointed himself in his place. At first, he was an enlightened president, developing close ties with the EU and encouraging tourism and foreign investment. Some health and education reforms were introduced, but only a portion of the promised social reforms materialised, and reports emerged of severe human rights abuses.

In the late 1990s Ben Ali became deeply suspicious of several political parties whose views were radically opposed to his own. He clamped down on dissident groups and restricted the media and human rights activities. The 1999 and 2004 presidential elections, as did a 2002 referendum that enabled him to serve a fourth term. In November 2009 he was elected to a fifth five-year term, with a vote that dropped below 90 per cent: he criticised the result, suggesting the electors were fraudulent and swayed by people “who have forgotten their moral duty of good behaviour.”

A widespread feeling of dissatisfaction had grown since the early 2000s and after a young man set himself on fire angry demonstrations erupted throughout Tunisia. Unemployment and inflation were out of control. Worse, there were accusations of unchecked corruption - Ben Ali’s family were accused of acting as a ‘quasi-mafia’. By 2010 he made attempts to save his position, calling the protesters ‘extremists and mercenaries’ and making wild promises about an upturn in the economy. Within months he fled the country and eventually found refuge in Saudi Arabia where he died. He is survived by his second wife, their two daughters and son, and by three daughters from his first marriage.