Tunisia--Government

CIA FactbookThe World Factbook 1993: Tunisia Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis

Digraph: TS

Type: republic

Capital: Tunis

Administrative divisions: 23 governorates; Beja, Ben Arous, Bizerte, Gabes, Gafsa, Jendouba, Kairouan, Kasserine, Kebili, L'Ariana, Le Kef, Mahdia, Medenine, Monastir, Nabeul, Sfax, Sidi Bou Zid, Siliana, Sousse, Tataouine, Tozeur, Tunis, Zaghouan

Independence: 20 March 1956 (from France)

Constitution: 1 June 1959

Legal system: based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

National holiday: National Day, 20 March (1956)

Political parties and leaders: Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (RCD), President BEN ALI (official ruling party); Movement of Democratic Socialists (MDS), Mohammed MOUAADA; five other political parties are legal, including the Communist Party

Other political or pressure groups: the Islamic fundamentalist party, An Nahda (Rebirth), is outlawed

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Elections:

President: last held 2 April 1989 (next to be held NA March 1994); results - Gen. Zine el Abidine BEN ALI was reelected without opposition

Chamber of Deputies: last held 2 April 1989 (next to be held NA April 1994); results - RCD 80.7%, independents/Islamists 13.7%, MDS 3.2%, other 2.4%; seats - (141 total) RCD 141

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab)

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation)

Leaders:

Chief of State: President Gen. Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987)

Head of Government: Prime Minister Hamed KAROUI (since 26 September 1989)

Member of: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAPEC (withdrew from active membership in 1986), OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ismail KHELIL chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: (202) 862-1850 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador John T. McCARTHY embassy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] (1) 782-566 FAX: [216] (1) 789-719

Flag: red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam