Tunisian Nationalist Movement which stress the different waves of resistance unleached by Tunisia against French settlement

1. Tunisian Nationalist
Movement
An Overview of Tunisia's Struggle for Independence
Mohamed Amine Allah Mejri
Ahmed Jasser Hichri
Oumayma Younes

2. I. Introduction
II. Key Actors
III. Strategies and Mobilizations
IV. Struggle for Independence
V. Cultural Impact and Legacy

3. Introduction
The Tunisian Nationalist Movement, emerging in the early 20th century, challenged
the French protectorate, leading to Tunisia's independence in 1956. Inspired by the
ideas of the Young Turks and influenced by reforms in Tunisian politics in the late
19th c, the movement trasitioned from a group of traditionalists-comprising
professionals like lawyers , doctors and journalists, to a structured political
organization led by a new, French-educated elite. This shift marked a pivotal shift in
the movement’s structure and aims, focusing on achieving autonomy and self-
determination.

4. Key Actors

5. • First Tunisian Nationalist Movement
• Formed by Al Bashir safar and Ali Bash
Hanbah.
• Advocated for greater political
representation, civil liberties,and
educational
• Demanded :complete Tunisian control
of the government, administration of
the country and full citizenship rights
for both Tunisians and Frenchmen.
The Young Tunisians (Jeunes Tunisiens) 1907

6. Al-Bechir Sfar (1856-1917)
The undisputed heart and soul of the movement, was among the
founders of Ḫaldūniyyah, a journalist for “Le Tunisien”, and,
after 1908, the governor of Sousse.

7. Alī Bāš Ḥānbah (1878-1918)
• An administrator at the Collège Sadikia
• Co-founder of “The Young Tunisians”
militant group.
• Founder of “Le Tunisien” newspaper in 1907

8. •Their major weapon was the
newspaper Le Tunisien.

9. • It was formed after the great war
• It is a Tunisian political party, was especially active in 1920s and 30’s
in arousing Tunisian national consciousness and opposition to the
French protectorate.
• Began by advocating complete independence
from France.
• Led by Abd Al Aziz Thaalbi
Destour Party (1920)

10. ZAIM CHEIKH ABDEL AZIZ
THAALBI(1876-1944):
• A famous militant among the “Young
Tunisians” group.
• Founder and editor of the Arabic
version of “Le Tunisien” (1909).
• Author of “La Tunisie Martyre” (The
martyred Tunisia) (1920).
• Co-founder of the “Destour Party ”
in 1920.

11. Néo-Dustūr
• Primary Champion of the independence struggle.
• Formed in 1934 ,by the discontented young memebrs of the
more Conservative party.
• Tunisian political party ,that led the movement for
independence from France (1956)
• Became a predominate party under
the leadership of Bourgiba in 1937.
• Began to split into 2 groups in the early 1950’s :
- One group supporting Bourguiba
- One group Aligning itself with Salah Ben Youssef.

12. • Architect of Tunisia’s
independence
• In 1958, Bourguiba was
appointed the first premier of
Tunisia, and in 1959 he was
overwhelmingly voted
president
• First president of Tunisia (1957
–87)
• One of the major voices of
moderation and gradualism in
the Arab world.
• Tunisian lawyer
Habib ibn Ali Bourguiba
(1903-2000)

13. Salah Ben Youssef
• The Secretary General of the Neo-
Destour Political Party
• Led the Neo-Destour party when
Bourguiba was imprisoned by the
French.
• Expelled from the party in 1955.
• Initiated a 6 years guerrilla compaign
against the Neo-Destour ,the French
and Bourguiba.
• He was found murdered on August 14,
1961.
1950–1952

14. Strategies and Mobilization

15. Young Tunisians
• They pushed for :
❑ modernizing reforms based on European Model
❑ greater participation by Tunisians in their own government
• They were cautious and reserved.
• Their main weapon was newspaper “Le Tunisien”.

16. Le Tunisien
• The first Tunisian newspaper held by
Muslims.
• Advocating moderation, the newspaper
generates a movement of reflection.
• It highlighted a set of political, economic,
social and cultural demands.
• With the printing of an Arabic edition in
1909, the Young Tunisians simultaneously
educated their compatriots and persuaded
the more liberal French to help move
Tunisia toward modernity.

17. • They organized massive protests against French registration of a
Muslim cemetery (Jellaz Cemetery) as public property ended in
violent riots and killings; boycotts and labour strikes were called
against Italian-owned companies in Tunis.(Britannica)

18. • Violent riots erupted on November
7-8, 1911, in Tunis when police
blocked access to Jellaz cemetery.
• Dozens, including seven
policemen, died.
• Marked the worst violence in Tunis
since the 1881
• Protectorate establishment( the
first time French soldiers fired on
the civilians).
Jellaz Affair

19. Tunis Tram Boycott
• A Tunisian child was
accidentally killed by a French-
run tram in Tunis on February 9,
1912.
• Tunisian nationalists organized a
boycott of the tramway following
the accident.
• Several Tunisian nationalists,
including Ali Bash Hamba, Abd
al-‘Aziz al-Thaalibi, and Hassan
Guellaty, were arrested by French
policemen on March 12, 1912

20. Destour
• Had engaged the Tunisian intellectual elite but lacked widespread
support.
• They began by advocating complete independence from France.
• When the French began encroaching on traditionally Muslim
prerogatives in the early 1930s—as by setting up French judges in
Tunisian law courts—the Destour organized and led protests, strikes,
and boycotts.
• Presented the bey and the French government with a document that
demanded that a constitutional form of government be established in
which Tunisians would possess the same rights as Europeans.

21. Tunisie martyre
• Post-WWI, “Young Tunisians”
regrouped and expanded.-
• Abdelaziz Thaalbi and fellow
intellectuals wrote "La Tunisie
Martyre", a book that
expressed their demands and
aspirations.
• The book, shared with French
politics, influenced the left-
wing.

22. Neo-Destour
• They worked on spreading propaganda and gaining mass support.
• The Neo-Destour began to gain more power and influence after
the arrival of the Popular Front government in France in 1936.

23. ⮚ World War II
• In March 1943, Bourguiba made a noncommittal broadcast, and the Neo-
Destour leaders were finally allowed to proceed to Tunis
• In view of the emancipation of the eastern Arab states and later of
neighbouring Libya, the French felt compelled to make concessions
• outbreaks of terrorism
• Nationalist guerrillas began to operate in the mountains, virtually
paralyzing the country

24. • A group of Fallega (Tunisian resistance fighters) led by Lazher
Chraiti, taken around 1952, 1953.

25. Struggle for Independance

26. • On september 1949 Bourguiba was allowed to come back to Tunisia
a few months later, he put into place a programme in seven points,
confirming that a cooperation between the French authorities and
the Tunisians was necessary. The Neo Destour followed this plan of
negotiation
• In 1950 , a Tunisian government was formed with Mohammed
Chenik, and Salah Ben Youssef, to negotiate the successive attempts
and stepts of independence.

27. • In January 1952, the new French resident Jean de
Hautecloque cancelled the Neo Destour congress,
and arrested 150 members of the party,
Bourguiba included. As a response, the UGTT
declared a general strike, therefore putting
pressure on the French authorities, and riots
broke out.
• As a result, in May 1952, the Tunisian movement
was expanded, and the new French resident
Voizard decided to relax the regime and laws
upon the Tunisians, and liberate some political
prisoners.

28. • In July 1954, the new council president Pierre
Mendes France approved the internal
autonomy of tunisia however Tunisia was still
partially under the legal status of a
protectorate. At this time, Pierre Mendès
France demanded the constitution of a
ministry to discuss the modalities of
autonomy.
• This protocol sparked anger from the pro-
French protectorate community in Tunis

29. • the general secretary of the Neo Destour,
Salah Ben Youssef. Ben Youssef saw these
incremental changes as too minor and
stated they were a slur against the Arabism
cause, and integral independence, not only
in Tunisia but in the whole Maghreb.
• This created a split between the Old Destour
and the Neo Destour, and Salah Ben Youssef
was excluded from the Neo Destour party
because he disagreed on the processes of
independence.

30. • In 1956, negotiations were brought up again with the
new French government, and a treaty was proposed.
• On the 20th of March of 1956, the treaty of May 1881
stipulating that Tunisia was under the French category
was deemed obsolete, and Tunisia was recognized as
fully independent.
• In July 1957, Bourguiba announced the end of the
monarchy and the establishment of the Republic of
Tunisia.

31. • The nationalist movement achieved significant milestones, such as
the Tunisian General Strike of 1938 and the negotiation of the
Franco-Tunisian Agreement in 1956, leading to Tunisia's formal
independence. These events marked key turning points in the
struggle for freedom.
• The French granted full independence to Tunisia in an accord that
was reached on March 20, 1956, and Bourguiba was chosen prime
minister. The rule of the beys was subsequently abolished, and on
July 25, 1957, a republic was declared, with Bourguiba as president.
To crown it all:

32. Cultural Impact and Legacy

33. • Difficulty of establishing economic stability because the Tunisian
economy was still tied up with that of France.
• The constitution was drafted after a male-only election.
• Islam was made the official religion of the state.
• The designated languages were Arabic and French
• Individual freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom of belief became
the norm.
• The publishing of the code of personal status which tackled important
social issues.

34. References

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